Where I Belong
by gleeaholic05
Summary: The day of Rachel Berry's return to the stage is spent with her wife, Quinn reminiscing about how they got here.  First kisses to marriage to babies and how that EGOT was won of course.
1. Chapter 1

**Present Day Fall 2044**

Rachel Berry paced back and forth in her opulent dressing room in front of a slightly smirking Quinn Fabray on a beautiful Fall Saturday morning. She was mumbling to herself, as she always did when her mind was running a mile a minute and Quinn sat back and took it all in as she always had for the last 30 years. The blonde took a second look around Rachel's dressing room while the brunette had her freak out moment and smiled at the pictures she had put up on her vanity. There was a beautiful shot of the two lovesick brides on their wedding day, one of Quinn frowning while wiping cake off her face and Rachel laughing at their son Graham's toothless smile on his first birthday, another of Grace giving Rachel the famous Fabray eyebrow when a shady looking clown showed up for her 5th birthday party, a family picture of the four of them after moving Graham in at UCLA, and her favorite candid shot of the two of them laughing while holding each other on the gym floor of McKinley High at their 10 year high school reunion. Yea, they had had a pretty good life together so far, Quinn thought as the Berry whirlwind came to a stop right in front of her.

"Quinn. I don't know if I can do this," Rachel said with a nervous quiver in her voice. Quinn smiled as she slowly stood up and tucked a flyaway brown curl behind her wife's ear. She reached up to hold onto the brunette's shoulders and ran her hands down Rachel's arms to entwine their fingers. Rachel closed her eyes as her frown lines instantly vanished with the touch. The brunette took a deep breath. Her lids fluttered open to meet dancing hazel eyes and her posture automatically relaxed.

Quinn smiled and calmly said, "Do you remember the first time you said that to me?"

**Fall 2013**

Kurt Hummel twirled through his front door and sang out, "Honey, I'm hooooome!" Footsteps came pounding through the kitchen and he chuckled as his tiny brunette roommate came skidding into the hall.

"Oh darling I'm oh so happy you have returned," Rachel cried with a dramatic southern drawl. "I just came across a rather unfortunate critter and it gave me such a fright! Who is to dispose of it?"

"Rachel, drop the Southern Belle for goodness sake. Did you say there was a spider in here?" Kurt shrieked as he whipped his head around looking for the eight-legged creature.

Rachel glared at her roommate before huffing and stomping her left foot. "Kurt Hummel you know very well that this audition is huge. I need to get this part in order to even be on the radar for the best roles for the Senior production. It has shown in the past that sophomore students that have not gotten speaking parts in their musicals have faded into the background never to be heard from again! Furthermore- "

Kurt had stopped listening to Rachel's rant and had already whipped out his phone. "Hello dear. I'm sorry to bother you this evening but Rachel and I could use some help over here. Yes, there is. It is not an irrational fear! Blaine Anderson your fabulous and devoted boyfriend needs you and- thank you. I will see you soon."

This was pretty much how Rachel and Kurt co-existed. After their freshman year they had both moved into a small apartment that was equal distance between their schools. Rachel had been accepted into Juilliard's Acting Program and Kurt had opted out of a career in theater and pursued one in fashion. He was currently enrolled at the Fashion Institute and loving every minute of it. The two had become extremely close and relied heavily on each other. Being away from home had been tougher than they thought it was going to be. Blaine followed Kurt out to New York after he graduated and was a freshman at Tisch living with a random roommate from school. Blaine was a normal fixture at Kurt and Rachel's, constantly taking care of the "manly" chores (as Mr. Hummel called them) that Kurt couldn't bring himself to do and Rachel had decided early on were not for her. He was also around to keep the two from killing each other. To no one's surprise, their exuberant personalities didn't always mesh and the battles were epic.

That weekend dawned rainy and gray and Kurt needed a change of scenery to complete his drawings. "Rachel!" he called toward the brunette's room, "I'm going to the coffee house. Care to join?"

Rachel poked her head out the door and said, "Next time Kurt. I'm running through these last few scenes and last time they didn't appreciate it when I had my read through there. Though I'm not sure why. It was a particularly emotional performance."

"You're right. I have no idea why they didn't appreciate your very moving monologue," Kurt said dryly. "Especially the particularly…colorful...language you were using while shouting at random customers."

"I know! No one appreciates my talent," the brunette cried while throwing her hands in the air. Kurt just rolled his eyes and grinned at his roommate before grabbing his bag and heading down the block to his favorite spot.

Kurt was hunched over his drawings at a table in the corner, furiously studying his lines and trying to figure out what the dress was missing when a voice from behind him said, "It's kind of tame for you, don't you think Glitter?" Kurt's eyes went comically wide before slowly turning to face the girl standing behind him. He knew the voice instantly but was still surprised to see Quinn Fabray, her patented smirk painted across her face. The boy just simply stared at the blonde taking in her choppy blonde hair, fitted NYU t-shirt, loose jeans hung low on her hips, and navy Converse sneakers. This was a casual Quinn that he had never seen. Her smirk morphed into an easy smile and her relaxed posture was nothing at all like the girl he remembered but his guard instantly dropped.

With a quick shake of his head he lifted his eyes back to her face and drawled, "Quinn Fabray. I was wondering when we were going to be seeing each other again."

Quinn chuckled and smiled even wider down at the boy, "Judging by the look on your face you definitely weren't expecting it to happen today."

Kurt grinned at the blonde and said, "No my dear. Definitely not. But now that I have, would you care to sit?" Quinn nodded and sunk down into the seat opposite the boy and launched into conversation about his drawings. She seemed to want to know everything about school and what he had been doing lately. Kurt was curious at first about the new lease on life the blonde seemed to have but he wasn't going to question it. He had always wanted to be friends with Quinn in secret. His ideas for her wardrobe were endless.

After an hour of chatter Kurt learned that Quinn was pursuing a Criminal Justice and English double major at NYU as a pre-requisite for Law School, was living in a quaint part of the village with a roommate from school, and working part-time at the University's theater helping paint backdrops and build sets. "Music was and still is a huge part of my life and its fun being able to still be a part of theater without the pressure of a performer. Besides, the money's good and its almost therapeutic being able to paint on a daily basis and create something from your imagination," she had said. Yep, Kurt thought, definitely not the girl I remember.

Quinn had looked down at her watch two hours later and said, "Kurt I'm so sorry but I have to go. I have to be at the theater in 20 minutes." The two stood and her easy smile never left her face as she added, "But this has been amazing. I'm so glad I ran into you."

"It really has Quinn. You seem like you're doing really well. We should all go out or something soon."

"Who else it 'we all'?"

"Well us obviously, my cute-as-a-button boyfriend, and Rachel of course." The blonde faltered in buttoning up her coat as her eyes lifted to meet to Kurt's.

"Rachel? As in Rachel Berry?" Kurt nodded. "I didn't know you guys were still in touch."

Kurt laughed, "Well we're actually much more than in touch." Quinn narrowed her eyes at the boy and raised her eyebrow. "That didn't come out right. What I meant was we're roommates so I see the mini-Barbra every day."

"Kurt we have been talking for two hours and you never mentioned you had a roommate let alone that it was Rachel Berry!" Quinn exclaimed as she laughed.

"You never asked! It's your own fault for asking about fashion and Blaine. You know I could talk for hours about him and forget there is a world that exists outside of fashion."

"So I'm starting to remember," the blonde muttered with a confused frown still on her face. "I've really got to go though so here's my number," she said as she scribbled down the digits on Kurt's notebook. "Call me and we'll talk about your forgetfulness." Kurt opened his mouth to retort. "I mean Rachel Berry. How do you not mention that?" Quinn added before she spun with a wave and exited the coffee shop. Kurt sat back down and pondered whether or not he was a bad friend for forgetting to mention Rachel. He decided to pick her up some of her favorite vegan chocolate on the way home to curb his guilt.

Rachel wasn't home when Kurt got back to the apartment later that night and the two were ridiculously busy for the entire next week. Rachel was practicing furiously to land the lead in Juilliard's production of "Oklahoma!" and Kurt spent most of his time with sewing machines and mannequins at school. He hadn't even had a chance to tell Rachel about his run-in with the blonde before the weekend. Saturday night Kurt and Blaine decided to go out to their new favorite gay bar, Rainbows. "Subtle," Blaine had said when Kurt first introduced him to the place. Kurt was surveying his outfit in Rachel's full-length mirror when the brunette walked into her room. He turned to face her with a pose and said, "Too much?"

Rachel grinned as she took in the boy's eccentric outfit and said, "For you? Never." Kurt nodded and turned back to the mirror.

"Go get yourself together Miss. We're going to Rainbows tonight."

"I would Kurt," Rachel said as she flopped down on her bed, "But I'm wiped out. I think Ally and Nick are just going to come over here for a movie night."

Kurt turned to his roommate and sat down on the bed next to her. "Nick staying in on a Saturday night? Please. I'll be seeing you later tonight." Rachel huffed because she knew he was right and got up to take a shower. Kurt gave himself another once-over in the mirror before leaving to pick Blaine up at his dorm and making his way to the bar.

Rainbows was as crazy as ever and Kurt flashed Todd the bouncer a smile before strolling in with Blaine in tow. Two years ago, Todd had called Kurt out for walking by the bar several times one night before telling him to go in and check it out. The bouncer remembered his first time in the city and seeing a place that would not only let him be himself without being bothered but actually encouraged him to do so. Since then, Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel never had to show ID's to get in. Kurt loved New York.

The boys had been enjoying a few drinks and dancing with some of their friends that they had met at the bar over the past two years when a flash of blonde caught Kurt's eye. He turned to see Quinn Fabray dancing with a few friends and a smile lit up his face. He had texted with the blonde a few times over the past week but they hadn't found time to meet up again. This was the perfect opportunity. Not even stopping to think about why Quinn was comfortable at a gay bar or anything, he grabbed Blaine's hand and made his way through the crowd. Blaine yelled out, "Quinn!" as a quick warning before Kurt tackle-hugged the blonde as she turned to say hi. (Maybe he had enjoyed more than just a few drinks.) Quinn just laughed and hugged him back before moving to say hi to Blaine and wrap him in a hug as well. Kurt was just about to ask what Quinn was doing there when a girl, presumably a friend of hers, swept in between the two and said, "Warning. Cassie is here and drunk already. She's totally looking to hook up and you know how she became a clingy creeper after you guys made out last time." Quinn's eyes went wide at her friend's statement as she looked past Maddie's shoulder to see if Kurt heard her. Judging by the matching look on his face, the blonde guessed that he had. Quinn ignored Maddie and grabbed Kurt by the hand, pulling him away from the group so they could hear each other better. She didn't want to shout at him during this conversation.

The pair stepped outside to get some air and Quinn turned to Kurt who was muttering random things. The blonde caught a few words like, "Finn," "celibacy club," "pregnant," and "Christian." Quinn smiled and rolled her eyes at the boy. "Yes Kurt. Yes. Finn happened, sex with Puck happened, pregnancy and Beth happened, my Dad really disowning me happened, and yes, me making out with that girl definitely happened. A few times actually," she added as she trailed off and thought back to the pretty brunette on the dance floor. Kurt's mouth hung open and Quinn reached up and closed it for him. "Are you going to say anything or just sit there and stare at me."

"I was right."

Out of everything that she thought the boy would say, that was definitely not it. "What?" she asked genuinely confused.

Kurt's baffled face morphed into a grin to rival the Cheshire cat's. "Mercedes so owes me $50. I called this circa Senior year when you came back as a skank. You were totally looking for a fit and not finding it so you tried a few different things. It was only a matter of time before you tried girls. Though I'll admit, I wasn't sure if it was going to stick or not. I pegged you as a number one gay panic candidate and giving your life over to Jesus. Thank God I was wrong about that. Those women never get enough sun and you're pale enough as it is."

Quinn was silent for a minute before letting out a shout of laughter. "Only you would take this and turn it into a bonus because it saved my skin tone. You really haven't changed at all have you Kurt?"

Kurt posed haughtily and said, "No reason to mess with perfection." Quinn smiled while she shook her head at her friend and let herself relax completely. This was Kurt. Kurt was a friend. Everything is okay. "Now," the boy said as her slipped his arm through hers, "I know there is a long conversation that can be had about why and when and all that nonsense but I'm not in the mood for that right now and judging by your flushed cheeks neither are you." Quinn nodded her agreement and the boy face instantly turned mischievous. "I want to see you work your magic in there."

Quinn shot him a look and said, "What, you think I don't know how to pick up a girl?"

"I'm not saying you don't. But I'm still putting dinner on the fact that you won't."

"Fine. You point her out and I'll show you how it's done."

"Challenge accepted," Kurt said as her lead her back into the bar. He bought the two of them drinks before they made their way back to where they left Maddie and Blaine who were now running the dance floor together. The two exchanged a look and laughed at their friends, moving to join them. Quinn grabbed Kurt's hand before he reached Blaine and said, "Well?" Kurt surveyed the bar and thought about which one he'd love to see the blonde pick up. His eyes landed on a girl who he thought would be the perfect candidate as his phone buzzed. He opened the text from Rachel that said, "You're right. Nick is going stir crazy already. We'll be there soon."

"I'm waiting," Quinn sing-songed bringing Kurt's attention back to her. He instantly got a wicked idea as he thought of the perfect person. "I don't like that face Kurt Hummel. You are not allowed to pick out someone completely ridiculous. And just so you know, the butch thing doesn't do it for me so not that either."

Kurt laughed and said, "I have an idea of who I'm picking but give me a few minutes to wander and take in the whole place." Quinn smiled and shook her head as she moved away to go dance with Blaine. Kurt made his way back to the door and told Todd to send Rachel to a table in the corner when she got there. He then moved to the bar and ordered a round of drinks before settling in at the high corner table. When Rachel and Nick got there Kurt made sure they sat with their backs to the rest of the bar so Rachel wouldn't see the anyone in the crowd, specifically Quinn. A few of their friends made their way over to the table and Rachel was instantly surrounded. Kurt saw his opportunity open. He knew there was something between the two in high school with Rachel's constant need for Quinn's attention and Quinn's continuous tension with the brunette. Now he understood. And now was his time to test his theory. Kurt moved away from the table silently and made his way over to Quinn. He leaned up and whispered in her ear, "Found her." Quinn turned around to face him and naturally, her eyes searched the crowd around him.

"Where?"

Kurt turned back toward the table to make sure that Rachel's back was still to them and her long hair was still hiding her face. He pointed toward the table, "See that brunette over there? With the red skirt on?"

"The one with the legs? How could I not see her." Quinn was instantly drooling and she knew this was in the bag. Kurt had chosen her type _exactly_. The three shots she had taken while Kurt was gone helped to sure-up her confidence.

"That's the one. Go get her tiger." Kurt watched her down her drink, draw herself up and instantly transform into the Quinn Fabray he used to know. As the blonde got in the zone, Blaine sidled up next to Kurt and said, "What's going on?" Kurt signaled him to wait a second as the blonde started to stalk across the bar towards the corner table. He turned to his boyfriend and said, "I just sent Quinn to go pick up Rachel."

Blaine narrowed his eyes, "Kurt. What did I say about meddling?"

"What's that Blaine?," Kurt shouted as he backed away from the other boy and moved toward the table to get a better view, "I can't hear you over the music!"

As soon as Kurt pointed out the girl Quinn knew that she was winning this bet. The girl's back was to her so all Quinn saw was flowing brunette hair and legs. _God those legs_. Quinn downed the rest of her drink and made her way over to the high table. Her buzzed mind went through a million pick-up lines, some of them quite good if she had anything to say about it. Though another part of her knows just how slurry she gets when she's been drinking so the blonde decided to keep it simple. However when she finally got near the table, the brunette's legs seemed to have erased any kind of a filter. Quinn came right up to the brunettes left side as the girl was facing her friend on her right. Leaning down to her ear, the blonde seductively whispered, "Hey gorgeous, can I buy you a drink?" The blonde felt quite pleased with her tone and inhaled the sweet smell of the brunette's hair as she moved away with a smirk plastered on her face. Though, for some reason the smell captured her like she knew it from somewhere but couldn't figure out where. A sense of nostalgia washed over her and her eyes went wide as the mystery brunette turned to face her.

"Rachel." Quinn muttered as her back went ramrod straight and her face drained of color. Rachel's expression mirrored the blonde's before she exclaimed, "Quinn!" The girls both stared at each other, neither knowing what to say next. Finally Quinn sighed and her shoulders slumped. "I'm going to kill Kurt."

"Kurt? Where is he?" Rachel turned completely around and searched the crowd and her eyes landing on Kurt who immediately turned and scurried away. "Did he send you over here to joke about picking me up because we're all in a gay bar?" the brunette asked.

Showing how far she had come in her acceptance of herself and maybe showing how drunk she actually was, Quinn smirked and said, "Well he did send me over here but it was with the intention of picking up a random hot brunette because he thought I couldn't do it." Rachel's eyes widened slightly with surprise. "Had I known it was you I might have opened with something different."

The brunette's face faded into a smile at the girl standing next to her. As usual, she couldn't help but be charmed by Quinn Fabray. "Hot huh?" Quinn jokingly stepped back and pulled the brunette up to stand in front of her so she could appraise her. The blonde made Rachel turn and pose as her eyes raked over her body. Rachel laughed as Quinn acted like she was deliberating and then the blonde said, "I stand by my initial observation. I know what looks good and I'm hardly ever wrong." Quinn nodded and then exaggeratedly patted the brunette on the back and added, "Good work Berry. Not a stitch of argyle in sight." Rachel continued to laugh and instantly loved the Quinn Fabray that stood in front of her.

The two were silent for a moment before Rachel said, "You look good too Quinn." Quinn blushed and smiled as she looked down to her feet. She knew the next words out of the brunette's mouth before she even spoke them. "So. Picking up girls? Should I put two and two together or assume that this was just an elaborate bet?"

Quinn searched the brunette's eyes and saw nothing behind the question that put her off. She was calm in Rachel's presence and if she thought about it, she always had been. Sure, there was high-energy tension during their high school years but when it came to any subject besides boys, Rachel was the only one who could get her to stop and breathe for a minute. And now, the fact that fights happened only over boys made so much more sense. Quinn smiled, "Yea you can put two and two together." A heart-stopping smile bloomed over Rachel's face before she launched herself at the blonde.

"Oh Quinn I'm so happy for you!" she said into the blonde's ear. As she pulled away she saw the questioning look on Quinn's face and added, "You just always seemed to be searching for something and look at you! You look amazing! I take it you finally found it?"

Rachel's genuine excitement rubbed off on Quinn and she let out a dazzling smile as she nodded, "Yea Rach. I think I really did." Rachel leaned in and hugged her again and something clicked with Quinn. It was if the final piece fell into place. The fact that she ran into Rachel and Kurt and they knew made it seem like she was finally bringing together her two lives. Pre and post New York Quinn were finally united.

Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand as she pulled her over to Kurt and Blaine who quickly looked away and tried to act like they weren't watching the entire scene unfold. Rachel stopped and said to Kurt, "Quinn and I are going to get a drink and then go dance. You two should join us. By the way, she totally wins the bet." Kurt was baffled but Quinn's face lit up with a laugh as she was tugged along towards the bar.

From that moment on, Quinn and Rachel became inseparable. Quinn needed Rachel's flair for the dramatic to spice things up after a long day of memorizing mundane law and Rachel needed someone like Quinn who was grounded and could give her an outsider's critique when it came to her developing acting skills. The two played off each other beautifully. Movie marathons on wintery days became habit. Rachel got Quinn up to speed on every musical she needed to know about and Quinn taught Rachel everything she knew about the classics. Quite often Kurt would come home after class and find the two singing and dancing in the kitchen while dinner lay abandoned on the stove top. Saturday nights at Rainbows became tradition and their two groups of friends meshed perfectly. It was the end of the girls' sophomore when Quinn's roommate started to date a creep that things started to change.

Rachel cracked a bleary eye as she smacked around her nightstand looking for her phone. She looked down at it and an adorable picture of a pouting Quinn covered in spaghetti sauce looked back up at her. She slid her finger across the phone to answer it and croaked out a, "Hello?"

"Hey Rach," Quinn whispered on the other end of the line, "I'm really sorry for calling so late but Audrey's boyfriend is here and Audrey isn't and I'm scared to go to sleep because he hasn't left me alone all night. Can I come crash there?"

"Of course. Kurt made that extra key for you for a reason. Just let yourself in."

"Thanks. The code is still the same outside?"

"Mmhmm."

"Okay. I'll be there soon Munchkin," Quinn said quietly knowing that the brunette had fallen back to sleep. Quinn crept out of her bathroom, threw an overnight bag together and grabbed her school bag before booking it out of her apartment. Tom had called out to her from the living room but she acted like she didn't hear him. When she got to her friends' apartment she crept in and moved to peek into Rachel's room. Surprised to see her light on, she quietly knocked and slipped inside. Rachel was sitting up in bed fighting sleep when Quinn knocked and she instantly snapped to. "Hey," the blonde whispered dropping her bags by the door. "What are you doing up?"

Rachel just blinked at her a few times and said, "Just wanted to make sure you were okay." Quinn smiled and moved to stand next to Rachel's bed.

"I'm fine Rach. Just felt weird is all," Quinn said as she turned off the light next to the bed. "Goodnight."

"Wait Quinn. Just sleep in here." The blonde looked back down at her best friend, her features glowing beautifully in the moonlight. "You know how much that couch sucks to sleep on. Come cuddle."

Quinn just chuckled and shook her head. Knowing she wouldn't be allowed to leave at this point and too tired to put up a fight, she pulled back the covers and slid in next to the brunette. Rachel grinned tiredly and leaned over to kiss Quinn's cheek, her lips coming dangerously close to Quinn's lips. "Goodnight Quinn. Glad you're okay."

Quinn's breath caught at the contact and her heart fluttered excitedly as Rachel snuggled into her. She couldn't figure out the reaction though. Rachel was always touching her somehow so that was nothing new. She had even fallen asleep in the brunette's bed before so it wasn't that. Even as she fought sleep, her brain couldn't help but focus on all the places that she and Rachel were touching but then it almost short-circuited when the brunette adjusted her head against the blonde's shoulder and her lips brushed Quinn's neck. Quinn knew that feeling well. "Oh crap," was the last thing she thought before Rachel's even breathing lulled her to sleep.

Over the next two weeks more and more of Quinn's things began showing up at the apartment. Rachel made space for her in her closet and they cuddled in the brunette's bed every night. Kurt joked that the two were moving faster than he and Blaine and they needed to slow down if they wanted it to last. Both girls laughed it off and didn't think anything of it but Kurt wasn't kidding. He knew where this was headed and judging by the girl's reactions to his comment, he was the only one.

Quinn was jolted awake one morning by Rachel's phone blaring out "Defying Gravity" in her ear. She leaned over to grab the device and shook the brunette who was still cuddled into her shoulder, the brunette's arm flung over the Quinn's middle.

"Rach," she said as she shoved the other girl to get her to wake up. Rachel grunted and answered her phone with, "Rachel Berry speaking." Quinn chuckled and shook her head. Only Rachel could grunt a perfectly rehearsed greeting into a phone. Whatever the person said on the other end had Rachel shooting up out of bed and was immediately pacing her floor. Quinn just looked on as Rachel nodded furiously and said, "Absolutely. I'll be there." Hanging up her phone, her eyes met the blonde's across the room before squealing and launching into Quinn's arms. "They want me to audition for the lead!"

"Wait, what lead?"

"There's a production of _West Side Story_ this summer that's only running for a month and my Professor recommended me for Maria! It's really not that surprising considering I could play that part in my sleep. I mean I've been singing 'I Feel Pretty' since I could talk. I just never expected–" the brunette stopped her ramble as her eyes went wide and her face went white.

"Rachel? What's wrong?" Quinn asked nervously.

"Quinn. I-" she started before her looking down and picking at the comforter. In an instant all the energy went out of the brunette's sails as something painful seemed to grab her and take hold. Quinn hated that look. Especially because she hadn't seen it since high school and being faced with it brought back all the terrible memories of their painful past. "I don't think I can do this." Rachel said it so softly that the blonde had to strain to hear her but as soon as she did she reacted.

Quinn gently lifted Rachel's chin and watery brown eyes met her hazel ones. She knew that Rachel had been questioning her ability as of late but it was usually just one minor comment that both girls brushed off. Now she got it. Juilliard had been difficult on the brunette. She wasn't used to fighting for parts but it didn't make her any less worthy. Quinn knew she needed to remind her best friend about who she was. "Listen to me. You are Rachel Barbra Berry. You have the best voice I have ever heard and you acted the shit out of Maria our Senior year. You. Are. Amazing." Rachel sniffled a bit as she looked down again. "I know your confidence has been shaken a bit with the small role you got in 'Oklahoma!' and even back at McKinley when you were asked to share the lead but this is different."

Rachel sniffled again and pathetically mumbled, "How? I wasn't good enough then. What makes them think that I can be a lead?" Quinn smiled softly and stroked Rachel's cheek.

"Because. You are going to show them you're good enough. I've never met anyone who can make me cry when they sing. Or make me hurt when they hurt up on stage. Or laugh as hard as you make me laugh when you're being a complete goof. You were born to be on that stage and obviously someone at that school noticed. So you're going to go to this audition, you're going to floor them with a heartbreaking performance of 'Somewhere', and I'll be in the audience cheering you on."

Rachel was stunned. No one had ever believed in her as much as Quinn did in that moment. She couldn't find the words to say how much she appreciated her best friend so she just grabbed her and squeezed her with everything she had as she muttered, "Thank you," into the blonde's neck. Quinn just squeezed her back and vowed from then on to never let Rachel think she wasn't good enough for something ever again.

**Present Day**

"You know that's the moment I fell in love with right? I mean I didn't realize it until later but that was totally it for me," Rachel said as she looked up into the hazel eyes she loved so much.

Quinn snorted and said, "Are you sure it wasn't 10 minutes later when you realized I drooled all over your favorite pillow?" Rachel laughed at the memory and pulled Quinn into a hug.

"Thirty_ years_ later and you're still drooling all over my favorite pillows."

"Oh you love it," Quinn quipped as she leaned in for a quick kiss. "And you wouldn't have it any other way."

Rachel rolled her eyes and pulled away from her wife. "Come on blondie. I need some stage time." Quinn watched her wife skip out of her dressing room with a stupid smile covering her face. Thirty years later and she never broke that promise and definitely wasn't planning on doing it anytime soon.

"Quinn! Let's go woman!"

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you liked it. I have the whole story planned so I'll get to writing. As of right now Getting To Know You is on hiatus. I hit a block and it seemed like there were a million stories just like it. But I liked this one. You'll see their whole life together over the course of about 10 chapters so let me know if I should keep writing! Thanks!**

**p.s. I own nothing.  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Present Day** **2044**

Rachel strolled across the stage she would be performing on later that night and stopped in the center to look out at the seats. Quinn walked in behind her and couldn't help but appraise the artwork in the backdrop. Her four years of working on them gave her some perspective and she was really impressed by what she saw. Rachel twirling to face her caught her attention and she turned to look at the brunette who was staring at her intently from 20 feet away. Quinn was taken aback and was about to ask Rachel what the serious look was for when the brunette said, "Do you remember our first kiss?"

Quinn instantly relaxed and an easy smile spread across her lips. "How could I forget?"

The blonde began to make her way over to her wife when Rachel said, "Wait! Stay right there." Quinn did as she was told and watched the other woman move to the opposite end of the stage.

Realization smacked Quinn in the face and she said, "Rachel, we are not re-enacting-" Rachel stops her protest with the biggest puppy dog eyes and the most pitiful pout Quinn has ever seen. The blonde had still never learned to get past those and she huffed. "Fine. But this time go easy on the flying leap. I'm getting old."

Rachel just shoots her a wicked grin and takes off across the stage.

* * *

><p><strong>Last week of Summer 2014<strong>

It took everything Rachel had not to sprint down the street back to her apartment one late summer afternoon. She had just finished doing a few interviews about her experience as Maria in _West Side Story_ this summer and was so ready to see her best friend. Quinn had spent the summer abroad taking classes in London and had just returned home that morning. Judging by the 5 text messages Rachel had on her phone after the interview you could say that the blonde was just as anxious to see Rachel. To say they missed each other would be the understatement of the year. Rachel punched in the code to get in the building and tore up the steps to her 5th floor apartment. Kurt had picked Quinn up at the airport and she knew that they were there waiting for her to arrive. Hurdling the last two steps, she raced down the hall and launched herself into her apartment which, lucky for her shoulder, flew open and slammed against the wall behind it. Quinn happened to be walking out of the bathroom when Rachel burst in and she was so caught off guard that she stared at the tiny diva like a deer in headlights. Rachel's face light up when she saw her best friend and she tore down the hall to tackle her. Quinn caught the flying brunette and laughed as she stumbled back into the wall behind her.

"You're back!" Rachel yelled into the blonde's ear as she continued squeezing the life out of her. Quinn just squeezed back and burrowed her nose into chestnut locks murmuring, "Yea Munchkin, I'm back"

The time apart had done them some good. Rachel excelled over the summer as Maria. Her performance garnered rave reviews even though the production only ran a month. At the end of the summer she was given an offer to take an understudy spot in a new production called _Emergency_ but she declined, opting to finish her degree. Lucky for her, the money for the play fell through and the script was shelved for now. Rachel was in love with the character though so she hoped that when it was picked back up again she would be ready and have enough experience to maybe take the lead. This summer was also a huge development in her love life. Kurt had gone home for the summer to spend time with his dad and help around the shop and with Quinn gone too, Rachel had been a bit lonely. She clung to the new friends she had made from _West Side Story_ and her co-star, Dean Richmond, had swept her off her feet the moment she met him. He was devastatingly handsome and had enough charm to woo even the iciest of hearts. Dean made it known that Rachel was his target for the summer from day one and he didn't hesitate to cash in on her leading man fantasy.

Quinn on the other hand used the time away from Rachel to figure out her feelings. She knew that she cared for the brunette in a more than friendly manner but wasn't sure what to do about it. Rachel had shown no signs of being interested in girls apart from a few games of spin the bottle her freshman year but that wasn't very surprising. The blonde adored her friendship with the girl and didn't want to do anything to spoil it. Her time in London was amazing and she kept extremely busy. She used the semester to take two of her Brit Lit classes so she was wandering the city for her Shakespeare class and got to see a play a week for her Studies in the Drama class. Quinn was in heaven. And it was totally true about the British and Irish accents being a turn on. She spent her time away from Rachel doing everything she could to get her mind off of the brunette including Maggie from Liverpool and Shannon from Kerry. The second she was home and back in the brunette's arms though, it was like she had never left. The flutter came rushing back and it felt like her heart dropped into her stomach. Rachel was tan and _radiant_. Through skype sessions she had heard all about Dean and was anxious to meet him. Hopefully that encounter would finally shake her heart and make her realize that all they were going to have between them was a friendship.

Quinn got her wish that same weekend. Kurt had moved in with Blaine into a one bedroom a few blocks away and Quinn had left her crazy roommate and moved into Kurt's old room. The blonde was wary about the move at first. Having so much Rachel exposure wasn't going to be too good for her nerves but all the brunette had to do was shoot her the perfect pout and Quinn was a goner. Saturday night, Quinn had fully expected to get ready and go to Rainbows again but Rachel burst into her room with a new plan. "Hey roomie!" the tiny diva said.

Quinn looked up from her computer and smiled at her roommate, "Hey Rach. What's up?"

Rachel bounced into Quinn's room and hoped up on her bed making herself at home. "So I know we normally go to Rainbows on Saturday nights but Dean suggested we go someplace else and I really want you to meet him."

The blonde turned fully around in her seat to look at Rachel. "Why do we have to go somewhere else? We always go to Rainbows on Saturday," she said with a frown.

"Well Dean doesn't feel exactly comfortable there is all. And I thought it might be nice to do something different for a change?" Rachel offered meekly.

Quinn picked up on the fact that Rachel wasn't really okay with the decision that Dean had apparently made for all of them but didn't want to rock the boat. She was also totally confused because who in the theater world wouldn't be comfortable at a place like Rainbows? Most of their friends were involved in the stage somehow and they all went there together. Every Saturday. Rachel just looked so nervous making the suggestion to Quinn that the blonde couldn't be upset about it. Letting this one slide she said, "Sure. Where were you thinking?" Rachel smiled and hopped off Quinn's bed and started rattling off information about this bar called O'Shea's that they went to all the time over the summer and the whole cast was going to be there and she was just _so excited_ that Quinn was going to meet everyone. Quinn just smiled and agreed, powerless to do anything to ruin the brunette's good mood. She just knew that she was going to have to pay closer attention to Dean than she originally thought.

Of course the first time Quinn shakes his hand, Dean tried to charm the pants off of her. She knows his tactic, get close to the best friend and the girlfriend becomes a lock. She was not about to let that happen. Dean needed to earn Rachel. Did she question her possessiveness? Of course. But it's very easy to convince yourself that you're just looking out for your friend's best interests. It had nothing to do with _your_ interest in your friend. None whatsoever.

The blonde sat back all night and observed the group. Watching Rachel fawn all over Dean was like watching the girl make a fool of herself over Finn all over again. Dean was recounting some _hilarious_ story from the last play he did and how his co-star flubbed her line because she was such a _novice _and how he had to swoop in to rescue the show. It ended with him getting a standing ovation of course and Rachel's eyes never left his face the entire time. His arm was thrown around the back of her chair possessively and the brunette leaned into his tall frame like he was the greatest thing she had ever been around. Like she was _lucky_ to have his attention. Gross. Dean then turned to Quinn and said, "So Quinn I hear that you're hoping to go to law school?" Quinn narrowed her eyes at the guy. He hadn't said two words to her all night and now he was interrupting his rant about himself to turn the entire table's attention to her? And the way he said _hoping_ like it was a pipe dream. Which it most certainly was not. She was at the top of her class damnit! The blonde looked to Rachel and saw that the girl was beaming in her direction like a proud parent and Quinn's tension eased slightly.

"Yes. I'm currently studying at NYU with a Criminal Justice and English double major and I'll be a part of Columbia's law program after I graduate," she replied with all the confidence she could muster.

Rachel was nodding her head while the blonde spoke and added, "Quinn's number one in her class and will have no problem getting into the program." The blonde shot the brunette a smile as she blushed slightly at Rachel's faith in her.

"Wouldn't you have had a better shot at getting in had you gone to Columbia as an undergrad?" Dean drawled, "I mean NYU is an okay school and all but hardly on the same level as Columbia."

Quinn bit back the snarky comment, forced a smile, and said, "Yes, NYU isn't Columbia but it's still a great school and I assure you my resume is good enough. Thank you for your concern about my future though _Dean_."

Quinn balled her fists up under the table and clinched her jaw at the sleazy smile Dean threw her way. "Yes well too bad you don't have the talent for the stage like the rest of us. College seems like such a waste of time," he replied, "No offense."

Sensing the tension, Rachel jumped in to diffuse the situation. "Quinn actually has a lovely singing voice and could have had a fantastic career on the stage if she wanted it but it seems as though helping to put the bad guys behind bars is more her taste." Quinn quirked a smile in the direction of her roommate as Rachel added, "And college isn't the waste of time you may think it is Dean. It has enabled me to become such a better performer already."

Dean, annoyed that Rachel was disagreeing with him, dropped his smirk and pulled his arm back from around the back of the brunette's chair and sneered, "Yea that's why you've gotten all those major parts you've been auditioning for." Rachel's smile disappeared and visibly deflated at Dean's comment.

Quinn was about to jump to her defense but Mark, one of their co-stars, quickly said, "I don't know why you haven't gotten those parts Rach. You're Maria this summer was amazing. It'll happen." Rachel nodded a thank you in his direction but the wind was effectively gone from her sails. "So," Mark continued, "Another round of drinks so that we can continue to toast to our awesomeness this summer?" The group all laughed as Mark flagged down their waitress.

Quinn nudged Rachel's foot under the table to get her roommate's attention. Rachel looked up at the blonde with sad eyes and Quinn could do nothing but give her a reassuring smile which the brunette briefly returned before letting out a deep breath and saying to Mark, "I'll toast to the _awesomeness_ of your Riff all night Marky Mark." Mark groaned at the nickname as the group laughed and Nicole started to rap out _Good Vibrations_. The tension was gone for the time being and Rachel put on her best show face for the rest of the night. Quinn continued to observe the couple and Dean wormed his way back into Rachel's good graces by the end of the night. The blonde loved the rest of Rachel's cast but Dean Richmond was officially on her shit list.

The fall semester chugged along for the girls and they found themselves on opposite schedules and hardly ever seeing each other. Rachel was spending a lot of time with Dean and made it known that the boy had occasionally made Rachel feel guilty for wanting to spend time with her roommate who she must see all the time because they live together, over him. Quinn knew that this relationship was not good for her best friend but anytime she brought anything up, Rachel got extremely defensive so Quinn just kept her mouth shut. In November, a girl from her Creative Writing class approached her and asked her out. Quinn was impressed with the redhead's gumption and agreed and just like that, Jamie McMannis entered the picture. Jamie was sweet and bubbly and kind and Quinn really enjoyed spending time with the girl. With Rachel spending so much time with Dean and Kurt and Blaine acting like a married couple most of the time, Quinn was excited to have something that was her own. When she told Rachel, her roommate acted a little strange. She was excited for Quinn but there was a definite undertone of jealousy, specifically when Jamie would come spend time at their apartment. Quinn chose not to dwell on Rachel's reaction but the brunette made it hard not to, especially when she would retreat to Dean's instead of hanging out and getting to know Quinn's girlfriend.

When Christmas rolled around, Rachel had a very interesting response to how her roommate was spending it. "Wait," the brunette said with a furrowed brow when Quinn told her about her plans, "You're spending an entire week with her and her family?" Quinn nodded slowly, wondering why the brunette seemed to be in such a tizzy over the situation. "Don't you think that's a little much?"

Quinn studied the slightly hysterical look on her roommate's face and recognized the battle stance immediately. She had been exposed to it once or twice in high school. "I don't understand. Why is it a little much?" the blonde asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Because!" Rachel cried exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air, "You've only been dating for what, a month?"

"Two. And it's not like I'm going back to Lima to spend it with my mom and her new family thank you very much. Jamie's family lives in North Carolina and I could totally use the break from the cold weather. You know 'wind-blown' isn't a particularly good look for me," Quinn joked trying to ease the tension.

Rachel huffed and crossed her arms, "I did invite you to spend the holidays with me, Quinn."

"Yeah. You me and the wonder boy would have a great time together in beautiful Lima. Especially with how much I love being a third wheel."

"I don't understand your problem with Dean. And I wish you'd stop calling him _Wonder Boy_," Rachel said with an eye-roll.

"Why? I hear so much about how amazing he is all the time. I thought it was a fitting nickname." Quinn was dangerously close to losing her cool with the brunette. Who was she to say how Quinn should spend her holidays? "You know what Rach, even if I did come spend the break with you, it's not like we'd have anything to talk about. I don't even know what's going on in your life anymore!"

Rachel shot Quinn the dirtiest look she could muster. "You're right Quinn. Maybe if you stopped spending so much time with _Jamie_ you'd be around to ask me about it."

Quinn was floored. Really? Their distance this semester was her fault? The blonde just shook her head. She hated fighting anymore, especially with Rachel. Too many bad memories. "You know what Rachel. You spend your break how you want to and I'll spend mine the same way."

Rachel bristled, not expecting that answer. She was waiting for Quinn to snap back at her and was almost looking forward to the fight. At least it meant that they were interacting on some level. Not ready to give up the battle though, Rachel just crossed her arms and snapped, "Fine," before turning on her heel and storming off to her bedroom.

Quinn just sighed as she reached down to grab her suitcase and book bag. Their flight was early the next morning so Quinn was just spending the night at Jamie's. She hated leaving things like this with Rachel but she sure as hell wasn't going to sit around and accept fault for their estrangement. She also knew that Rachel's defensiveness of Dean was so strong that it didn't matter what the blonde said about the guy, Rachel would flip. It wasn't even worth it anymore. Rachel was going to have to come to that realization on her own and Quinn was worried that it was going to take something terrible for her to do so.

Their holidays passed without incident and Quinn fell in love with Jamie's family. She just wasn't so sure she was falling in love with Jamie. The girl was amazing but there was no spark between the two and she couldn't get the fight with Rachel out of her head the entire vacation. Rachel was feeling the same thing in Lima and had made the move to call or text the blonde a million times but Dean had convinced her that Quinn needed to apologize first. She didn't completely agree and was starting to see how self-involved he was during their time away together. The brunette noticed her dads' looks between each other when Dean would launch into another story about his achievements and she would quickly jump in to get him to focus his attention elsewhere. The break was going just fine and her normally slightly homophobic boyfriend seemed to be at home with her fathers. It wasn't until the last night when they had gone out to dinner with her dads, Kurt and Blaine, and Mr. and Mrs. Hummel that Rachel noticed it.

The group was all set to head into Breadsticks when Dean leaned over to Rachel and said, "Doesn't it embarrass you being out with them all the time?" Rachel looked up at her boyfriend, puzzled as to who he was talking about.

"Being out with who?"

"Your dads. And Kurt and Blaine of course," he said matter-of-factly like Rachel should have known who he was referring to.

"Why would I be embarrassed? I mean I know daddy has this obnoxious snort-laugh that draws a few looks and Kurt and Blaine do break out in song every now and then but I'm sure they won't do that tonight. Mr. Hummel has an uncanny ability to put out that fire before it gets going," Rachel replied, clearly not understanding what Dean was trying to say.

"No Rachel," her boyfriend said as if he was trying to explain something to a toddler, "I meant because they're gay and flaunt it. Everyone's staring. It must be embarrassing to be seen with them all the time." He looked around the restaurant as they followed the men to their seat, taking in the maybe two couples looking their way. Rachel followed his eyes and didn't see what he was talking about. No one was staring so she looked back to her fathers who weren't even holding hands. What did he mean flaunting it? Rachel was so stunned by the comment that she didn't have an answer before she sat down and when they did, Dean turned the charm back on as if he hadn't said something completely rude. After that moment Rachel began paying closer attention to Dean's behavior and started picking up on a few homophobic comments that she may have simply looked past before. And when she did open her eyes, she also began to see what Quinn had been saying for months. Dean did talk about himself an awful lot and he wasn't the most supportive boyfriend ever. Brushing it off as just spending too much time together, Rachel began to look forward to getting back to New York. Before she returned home though, she knew she had to make it right with her roommate. She missed Quinn terribly and hated fighting.

New Year's Eve was spent in her living room with Blaine and Kurt while her parents spent it out with the Hummel's. Mercedes, Sam, Tina, Puck, and Mike were all also home so they came to spend time with their friends and catch up on what was going on in New York. Puck, of course, thought that you couldn't spend New Year's Eve without a little alcohol and by midnight, everyone was wasted. The dance party was obviously epic but Dean was sloppy and after ringing in the New Year with him trying to feel her up in the middle of the living room, Rachel retreated outside for a little air. Pulling out her phone she dialed Quinn's number, a sudden urge to talk to her best friend taking over.

Quinn's voice came through the line quickly, "Rach?" The brunette was so happy to hear the blonde's voice that she just smiled stupidly but her very hazy brain didn't reply. Rachel could hear her roommate moving away from a crowd and close a door behind her. Confused by Rachel's silence, Quinn said, "Everything okay?"

"Hi Quinn."

The blonde chuckled a bit before replying, "Hi Rachel."

"What are you doing?"

"Oh you know, spending the New Year in a t-shirt. I think my body is confused. North Carolina is way too warm for me. What are you doing?"

Rachel sighed on the other end wishing that she was back in their apartment snuggled up with Quinn on the couch with hot chocolate and Funny Girl like they used to before their busy lives kept them apart. "Missing you." Quinn couldn't help the stutter in her heartbeat when Rachel sighed those words because she was missing the brunette more than she ever thought she could. Quinn knew that Rachel was drunk because sober Rachel wouldn't be so honest with her right now. Especially after how they had left things.

"Where's Dean?" the blonde ventured knowing that the boy wouldn't be too happy with Rachel avoiding him and choosing to talk to her instead.

Rachel huffed, clearly annoyed with her boyfriend, "I don't know. Inside somewhere. I had to walk away after he tried to shove his hand up my shirt during the ball drop." Quinn had to bite her tongue to stop herself from saying something snarky and just laughed at Rachel's obvious aggravation. "Where's Jamie?" the brunette wondered in a small voice.

Quinn smiled at Rachel's hesitance and decided to just be honest. "She's inside with the rest of her family."

"So why are you outside?"

"Because you called silly. And because they're kind of boring. Super nice but a little boring. I knew that you would inject a little ridiculousness into my life right now," Quinn told her friend with a smile.

"I'm not sure how I should take that," Rachel said as Quinn laughed into her ear. The blonde heard a muffled voice on Rachel's end and heard the brunette reply, "Yea. In a minute."

"Do you have to go back?"

"Yeah. It is kind of my house. I guess this constitutes bad hosting," Rachel said as Quinn smiled. "Quinn?"

"Yea Rach?"

"I'm sorry. About earlier. I don't want to fight with you and I think it would be great to get to know Jamie. Maybe when we get home the four of us could go out to dinner or something?"

Quinn knew that that would be a bad idea but Rachel sounded so small and desperate for the two of them to just be okay again that she knew she couldn't deny the brunette a try. "Sure. That sounds like fun."

"Okay great. We'll plan it when we get home. Have a safe trip back Quinn."

"You too Munchkin. See you soon."

When Rachel got finally got back home the following week Quinn was waiting for her with her favorite meal and a bone crushing hug. The brunette collapsed into the blonde's arms with a sigh and a smile, happy to finally put everything behind them. The pair planned their double date for the following weekend with dinner at their favorite restaurant and, if things went well, drinks out at O'Shea's for the rest of the night.

The morning of their date, Rachel got a call for the second lead in _Emergency_ and the director said they need to get to work immediately in preparation for a September opening. The show had been picked up by different producers and the original actress had taken another job in the meantime. Rachel was ecstatic. There were two other students in the play so they were prepared to work around their school schedules until the summer meaning a lot of late nights and long weekend hours but Rachel didn't care. She was going to have her first major part in an off-Broadway play. Everything she had been working toward was finally coming true. The same morning that Rachel got the call, Dean also got a call to say he didn't get the part he tried out for but they were willing to give him a spot in the Chorus. He rejected the offer and when Quinn brought up Rachel's success to Jamie that night, Dean bitterly told Rachel that they play she has been cast in was never going to do well and she was stupid for accepting the role. Sick of being pushed around by her boyfriend, the brunette told him to grow up and to talk to her when he could just be happy for her. Humiliated, Dean stood up from the table, made yet another homophobic comment about Quinn and Jamie and walked out.

Rachel apologized over and over to the pair and Quinn continued to reassure her that it wasn't her fault. Jamie, who was extremely uncomfortable in hostile situations, asked Quinn if she minded if she called it a night. The blonde told her of course and that she'd call the other girl the next day. When Quinn finally got Rachel to calm down and stop blaming herself for their ruined evening, the two had a great dinner together, using the time to catch up on each other's lives and squeal excitedly about the new show.

The atmosphere in the apartment had done a complete 180 since Christmas break. The two hung out as much as they could and, even though Dean apologized for his behavior, they started to go out with their friends more and more, leaving Dean and Jamie at home. Their lives were rolling along again, busier than ever. Dean was slipping up from time to time but nothing like he had been that night. It didn't help either that Rachel jumped to Quinn's defense anytime Dean got even slightly out of line. The blonde loved her all the more for it but knew what it was doing to Rachel. She was being torn in half but unfortunately for the brunette, that was her own making. Jamie was slowly but surely falling to the wayside. Quinn knew it wasn't fair but she knew that their relationship had plateaued and she couldn't see it going any further. They stayed together for now though but the blonde knew it was only a matter of time. It didn't help that any free time she had was spent with Rachel and not her girlfriend. The two had become inseparable yet again and it was if the rest of the world didn't exist when they were together. Kurt and Quinn's friend Maddie had a bet going about how long it would take before the girls realized it and finally got together. Blaine refused to take part in the bet but was silently rooting for his two favorite girls. Everything seemed to be on the up until Quinn got the call late one night in April. She rolled over and answered, her eyes not even opening to see who it was.

"Q-Quinn?" came a sobbing voice through the speaker. Recognizing the speaker and that tone of voice, Quinn immediately bolted upright.

"Rachel? What's wrong?" she asked with a panicked voice. She was already up and out of bed pulling on pants and searching for her shoes.

Rachel continued to sob through the speaker and she took a deep breath and said, "I'm at Dean's and he- something happened." Quinn was about to start firing out questions when Rachel's broken voice exhaled, "I need you." That's all Quinn needed to move. She grabbed a jacket and took off out their front door.

"I'll be right there Rach. Just stay on the line with me okay?" Quinn rambled nonsense into the phone while she hailed a cab and set off for Dean's apartment. She just needed to make sure that her best friend was okay. The worst scenarios were ripping through the blonde's mind a mile a minute. Any time she tried to breach what happened Rachel would just cry harder and Quinn made sure to keep feeding her reassurances that she would be there soon and kept the brunette updated on where she was. When she got to the apartment building, she tore open the door she knew was never locked and flew up the stairs like a madwoman, knowing that her adrenaline level was not going to be able to handle a wait for the elevator. Quinn got to Dean's door and she took a deep breath as she opened it. The blonde surveyed the apartment and saw a broken glass shattered against the wall, a flipped over coffee table with its contents scattered around the floor and a hole in the wall near the bedroom door which Quinn knew from experience came from a fist. Thinking the worst, she hung up the phone and called, "Rach?"

"I-in here," came the sad reply. Quinn turned in the direction of Rachel's voice and hurried into the bedroom. What she saw broke her heart. Rachel was curled up in a ball at the head of the bed, her eyes squeezed shut, and the phone still pressed to her ear. Quinn moved further into the room quietly and gently took the phone from Rachel's hand. It was then that Quinn noticed the bruise on Rachel's cheek and her split lip. The blonde gasped and froze. She didn't know what to do. She knew Dean was an asshole but didn't expect anything like this at all. "Rachel?" she whispered hoping not to alarm the girl. Rachel blinked her eyes open and the pain they held tore Quinn's heart in two. Easing onto the bed, she slid over next to the brunette and softly stroked her cheek. The gentle touch was all it took to break the brunette and she started sobbing harder than ever. Quinn leaned down and pulled her up into her lap stroking her back and mumbling soft words into her friend's ear. Rachel clung to the blonde and buried her head in Quinn's neck as her body shook with the force of her pain.

It took a good twenty minutes for Rachel to stop crying and each second had Quinn on edge. She knew they were still in his apartment and the blonde had no idea where Dean was. He could come back at any second and it was clear that he had no issue with beating a woman. Quinn ran her hands through Rachel's hair and said, "Hey Munchkin. We need to get out of here okay? Let's grab your stuff and get you home." She felt the brunette nod against her shoulder and moved out from underneath of her. Quinn grabbed a duffel bag she saw in the closet and began loading it with anything she thought belonged to Rachel. The brunette could do nothing but sit there and watch, sniffling occasionally as she got her body to calm down. Quinn was there. Everything was going to be okay again. Once the blonde was satisfied, she moved back toward her friend and eased her off the bed, not knowing if there were any other injuries that she needed to be aware of. As soon as Rachel was back on her feet, she slid her hand down the blonde's arm to intertwine their fingers and squeezed, letting her know that she was okay. Quinn smiled gently and leaned down to drop a gentle kiss on the crown of Rachel's head and led them from the apartment, into a cab and eventually back into Rachel's room. The two didn't speak a word on the way home but Rachel's hand never left Quinn's. The blonde got Rachel into bed and moved to tuck her in when Rachel reached out and grasped her wrist. With a pleading look that Quinn couldn't deny, the blonde crawled under the covers and gathered a still-shaking Rachel into her arms, rubbing her back in soft circles until the brunette eventually dropped off into a deep sleep, exhausted from the night's events.

The next morning Quinn woke up to a towel clad Rachel rustling around her drawers for something to wear. The blonde noticed the hand-shaped bruises on Rachel's arms that she hadn't seen the night before and couldn't help but gasp. The noise startled the brunette who turned to see Quinn throw the covers off of herself and move to examine the damage on Rachel's body. The brunette turned her eyes to the floor in shame. Quinn ghosted her hands over Rachel's arms and then over the particularly harsh mark she saw on her chest. Knowing what that could mean, the blonde's blood ran cold. "Rachel," she choked out, "He didn't-"

Rachel opened her eyes to see Quinn fixated on the mark on her chest and quickly said, "No! No Quinn I promise he didn't do anything like _that_." Quinn exhaled heavily and lifted her eyes to meet Rachel's making sure that the brunette wasn't lying to her to protect him. The look she got said it all. Rachel's chocolate orbs were begging Quinn to believe her.

"Okay. You need to tell me what happened though Rach. I can't see you like this and be kept in the dark. It's just- It's not fair." Quinn looked close to a breakdown of her own so Rachel just grabbed her waist and pulled her close as the blonde desperately tried to keep it in. Quinn's hands flattened on Rachel's back and held her loosely, feeling as if her friend would break with too much pressure.

"Quinn," Rachel said firmly into her ear, "I'm okay. I'm not made of glass. I promise." Quinn choked out a sob as her arms tightened around the brunette as if she was trying to fuse their bodies together. She never wanted to let Rachel out of her sight again. She needed to always be there to protect her.

"I should've stopped this sooner," she whispered. "Rachel I'm so sorry. I should've been there." Rachel jut shushed her roommate and rubbed her back as Quinn lost it. The vision of Rachel sitting on the bed, bruised and broken would not leave the blonde's mind. She just pulled Rachel even closer to her and cried. The thought of losing her best friend hurt more than she could've ever imagined. Quinn refused to think like that though and she snapped herself out of it quickly. Rachel was here in her arms. She was safe. Quinn pulled back and was met with a silently crying Rachel. Gathering her strength, she grasped the brunette's cheeks and wiped her tears away with her thumbs before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How about you get dressed and I'll put some tea on and we'll stay in and have a movie marathon today?"

Rachel gave her best friend a watery smile before shaking her head, "No. You have class today."

Quinn pulled back completely and began to move to the door saying, "Not today I don't. Today I have a movie marathon to watch with my roomie. Ginger peach tea okay?" Rachel slumped gratefully, secretly loving the fact that Quinn was going to be with her all day.

"Peach sounds wonderful." Rachel changed into her comfiest clothes which happened to be Quinn's old Cheerios sweatpants and NYU t-shirt. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she studied the damage Dean's fist had caused. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath reminding herself that she was home, and safe, with Quinn. She ran a brush through her hair and threw it up in a clip shaking out the last of her fear. The brunette walked into the living room, accepted the cup of tea offered to her and cuddled into the couch next to the blonde as the opening credits for Funny Girl started to roll across the TV. The brunette lifted the blonde's arm and snuggled into her shoulder with a whispered, "Thank you." Quinn just squeezed her friend's shoulder and sipped her tea knowing that this wasn't over.

The next few days Rachel woke in the middle of the night with nightmares and would end up in Quinn's bed not thirty seconds later. Quinn would just pull the brunette close each time and rub her back until she stopped shaking and fell asleep. Dean called Rachel the following weekend to apologize for his behavior. He said that it was the alcohol and that he was getting help. Rachel said she knew and understood and wished him all the best in his recovery but made it clear that she was not going to be in his life ever again. Quinn listened to the conversation from the other room and was so proud of her best friend's strength. She knew what that took out of Rachel and the mini breakdown that followed proved just that. The two girls continued to grow closer than ever before. Kurt and Blaine had taken it upon themselves to get Rachel out and having fun again with their friends. The two were extremely supportive and Quinn was so grateful for their help. Most nights Quinn would go out with them but every now and then she would stay in with Jamie who had been feeling neglected. The blonde couldn't blame her. Rachel was now her number one priority as she should've been but she knew that there was a major problem when she was lying in the redhead's bed and found herself wishing there was a different pair of arms wrapped around her.

It was if this whole situation had snapped something within Quinn that she was simply unable to deny anymore. She was in love with Rachel. Always had been. But lately it was as if there was something more to the brunette's feelings too. A lot of things Quinn could chalk up to the situation and the fact that Rachel was always around her because the blonde made her feel safe but on the other hand there were moments like the other morning when Quinn walked into the living room in a towel and Rachel blushed and stuttered while not being able to meet Quinn's eyes. Or two nights ago when Rachel had come into the blonde's room after a nightmare and, thinking her roommate was asleep, traced her finger along Quinn's forehead, down her cheek, across her jawline and then over her lips, lingering there, and letting out a sigh before snuggling into the blonde's shoulder and falling asleep. There were moments where their eyes would find each other's across the room and lock and not be able to let go. It was almost as if you could feel the tension in the air. Every touch had gone from comforting to electric and it was only a matter of time before things exploded. Quinn didn't know what to do though so she kept forging ahead with Jamie but at the same time she knew her heart wasn't in it and probably never would be. She knew it was selfish but if there was going to be something between her and Rachel Quinn knew that it would have to be the brunette that made the move in order to feel like she wasn't taking advantage of her friend's vulnerability. The entire summer was filled with emotion from all three parties. Jamie's anger was starting to show, passion was pouring off of Rachel in waves, and Quinn was as confused as ever.

Things came to a head one September night. _Emergency_ was finally set to open after six months of hard work and Rachel had been getting antsier as the date approached. The apartment had been cleaned six times that week, Rachel's elliptical seemed to never stop whirling (especially when Quinn was trying to sleep), and the brunette had learned how to cook twelve new vegan dishes. Quinn was losing her mind. The morning of the show, the blonde was in her room trying to study for the LSATs when Rachel started on the elliptical again. She had lost her earphones the night before when she sucked them up into the vacuum cleaner and was now blasting the _Wicked _soundtrack in their living room. Quinn lost it. Busting out of her room and into the living room, the blonde ripped the cords from the wall effectively shutting off the music and Rachel's workout machine at the same time. Thrown off balance Rachel stumbled to the side and Quinn grabbed her waist to steady her. The brunette looked at her red-faced roommate and thought better about giving her a lecture on proper elliptical safety procedures. "Rachel," Quinn growled lowly, still gripping the brunette's waist, "Stop it." Rachel's eyes dropped to the floor. She knew she was being obnoxious and told Quinn so.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so nervous about tonight. I don't know what to do with all this restless energy." Quinn immediately felt bad. She knew how much tonight meant to Rachel. The blonde tilted up Rachel's chin to look her in the eye and said, "Rachel Barbra Berry. You are a star and you are going to blow them away tonight. I have 100% faith in that," Quinn said in a soft voice. She dropped her hand from Rachel's face and ran her hands up and down her roommate's arms to comfort her. "But it's not just this show that has you on edge. You guys are so ready for this; you said it yourself last weekend. What else it going on in that head of yours Munchkin?"

Rachel knew what it was. She knew she was completely head-over-heels for Quinn but also knew that Quinn was still very much dating Jamie. The brunette had been battling herself ever since Quinn showed up that night last April as her knight in shining armor to save her. There was something that ran so deep in their connection and the fact that they both were so comfortable with each other meant everything to Rachel. The second she allowed herself to think about her friend in a slightly romantic way, a million thoughts flooded her brain. It was as if some floodgate she didn't even know she had was opened and the fact that Quinn was a gorgeous human being with extremely kissable lips was all that Rachel could process from that moment forward. It wasn't just one sided though. Rachel knew that Quinn was feeling the same way. There was nothing platonic in the way Quinn held her so intimately every night or the way the blonde's hazel eyes poured out fire when they locked with hers across the bar. She also noticed that since that night, Quinn had been blowing off Jamie to spend more and more time with her. Rachel wasn't dumb and she had had enough of keeping this some sort of secret. She knew she had to tell her best friend now, while she had the momentum.

Rachel reached out and grasped Quinn's hips pulling the blonde into her personal space just a little bit more. Quinn's brow furrowed and her head tilted to the side slightly in confusion. Rachel's heart burst at the adorable sight and went for it, only considering the fact that it could ruin their friendship for a millisecond. She knew she was right. "Quinn. I think you know exactly what's going on in this head of mine and what has been going on since you saved me months ago." Quinn's hands stopped their movement up and down Rachel's arms and she just stared at her roommate's face in disbelief. She wasn't saying what Quinn thought she was, was she? Rachel took the fact that Quinn hadn't moved away from her as a plus and went in for the kill. "I think it's something that the two of us are denying ourselves for some reason that I have yet to figure out why."

"Rachel," was all the blonde could whisper. Rachel read this as a good sign and stepped into the blonde so that their bodies were flush.

"Tell me that it's not just me. If it is Quinn then I'll leave this alone and never breathe another word about it." Quinn could do nothing but gulp audibly at the brunette's proximity. "But if it's not…" Rachel then reached up and cupped the blonde's cheek as she rubbed their noses together teasingly. Taking Quinn's silence as an invitation, the brunette leaned in to finally capture the lips she had been dreaming about for months.

Instead of feeling their softness however, Rachel felt the clammy touch of Quinn's fingers against her mouth. Noting that the blonde had yet to retreat and was still breathing heavily, Rachel just opened her eyes and quirked an eyebrow, silently asking for an explanation. Quinn took a deep breath and said, "It's not just you Rach. There's just something that needs to be done first." Before Rachel could even process the blonde's words, Quinn had turned in the direction of the front door, grabbed her coat and keys and left. Rachel was baffled and stood there with her arms halfway outstretched for a good two minutes before shaking her head and eventually moving to finish her work out before getting ready for rehearsal. She wasn't sure how to react but Quinn's words echoing in her head reassured her just a little that she hadn't done something completely ridiculous. _It's not just you Rach._

Quinn had yet to return to the apartment before Rachel had to leave for the theater. The brunette went through hair and make-up in a daze still trying to wrap her head around what had just transpired between her and her best friend a few hours ago. Rachel ran through dress rehearsal flawlessly one last time with her cast before everyone left to relax in their dressing rooms until the curtain. She was standing by herself center stage finally getting a second to think when she heard a voice behind her say, "You were born to stand there. You know that right?" Rachel turned to see Quinn standing upstage about 20 feet away and a smile instantly lit up her face at the compliment but then quickly turned into a frown when she remembered that the blonde and left her standing in their living room with no explanation that morning. The brunette made to move closer to her roommate and opened her mouth to question what happened when Quinn said, "Wait. Stay there. I need to say a few things and I know that if you come any closer I won't be able to say them and I'll just kiss you instead." Rachel's eyes widened quickly and then her face almost split in two she was smiling so hard but she nodded, understanding that Quinn always needed an explanation for her actions. "I'm not a cheater anymore Rachel. I was stupid about it in high school and I refuse to hurt someone like that again so I'm sorry I walked out earlier but I needed to talk to Jamie and tell her that we couldn't see each other any longer."

Rachel almost laughed with relief, "You guys broke up?"

"Oh please. Don't look so surprised. You've known I've had a thing for you since I tried to pick you up in the bar two years ago." Rachel's face softened and her face bloomed into a sweet smile as she just looked at Quinn and let her continue. Quinn smiled right back, gaining confidence every second Rachel didn't tell her to stop talking. "I just didn't know if you could ever feel the same way and then Dean happened and Jamie happened and everything just got so backwards. What I do know though is that waking up without you is the worst way to start my day. And when Dean hurt you, God Rachel, I wanted to kill him. I've never felt anger like that ever before and that's coming from McKinley High's Ice Queen. I knew right then and there that I would do anything to protect you for the rest of our lives. And when you prance around the apartment in shorts and a tank top I have to physically restrain myself from pouncing on you." Rachel giggled at Quinn's honesty and the blonde blushed adorably at her confession. "I know that coming home to you singing makes every bad part about my day disappear and I know I'd rather be sitting next to you on the couch watching Funny Girl for the millionth time than be anywhere else in the world. What I do know," Quinn continued, the love in her eyes burning a hole in Rachel's heart, "is that I want to be around you _all the time_ because no one has ever made me feel so alive." Quinn took a deep breath and let it out shakily as her eyes darted to the floor. She couldn't believe she just said all that but she needed Rachel to know that this wasn't just something fleeting. What she felt was real.

"Quinn?" Rachel said softly from across the stage. Quinn pulled her eyes up from the floor and found the brunette's chocolate ones shining back at her. "I literally feel exactly the same way. Except I want to pounce on you when you wander around in a towel for an hour after your shower." Quinn laughed at her best friend but still made no move toward the other girl. "I know that coming home to a funny note about something random stuck to my mirror after I've had a long day makes every problem vanish. I know that my spot on the couch will always be my favorite place ever and your over the top eye roll when I suggest Funny Girl makes me laugh every time. And I know, Quinn Fabray, that no one in this world has ever made me fell so protected and cared for than you have." All Quinn could do was smile dopily at the girl and continue to blush at Rachel's confession. "And I know one more thing that you don't."

Quinn quirked her brow and said, "Oh yeah? And what might that be."

Rachel just smirked mischievously and said, "I know that I'm going to kiss you now." Before the blonde could process what Rachel said, the brunette was darting across the stage toward her and all Quinn could do was catch her when Rachel's body flew into hers. Wrapping her legs around the blonde's hips and her arms around her neck, Rachel leaned down and _finally_ captured that beautiful mouth with her own.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Just like she did 30 years prior, Quinn catches a flying Rachel and leans in for a repeat of the greatest kiss of her life.

"I remember it being different," Rachel says as she pulls back, completely ruining the moment. Quinn just groans and rolls her eyes. "Take a few steps back," Rachel commands while clinging to the blonde like a koala bear. Quinn does as she's told as Rachel looks around at their positioning. "Your hair was down."

"My hair was long."

"And I remember being higher. Quinn did you shrink?"

"Ugh Berry if you don't kiss me right now I will drop you on your ass."

"So romantic," Rachel mumbles as she leans in to _finally_ kiss the love of her life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** **Thanks so much for the reviews on the first chapter! Totally made my day. I hope you all like the next installment!**

**p.s. I still own nothing**


	3. Chapter 3

**Present Day 2044**

Quinn and Rachel strolled down 49th Street on their way to their favorite restaurant to grab some lunch. There was a slight Fall chill in the air and Rachel pulled Quinn's arm around her a little tighter. The blonde chuckled at Rachel's cold-blooded body and just held her close. "Its days like this that I miss LA," the brunette said with a sigh.

Quinn smiled and said, "You do realize you say that every year when it starts to get even just a little chilly, right? Are you sure you're not part reptile?" Rachel just looked up at her wife with a frown, "And you act like we were in LA for most of our lives. You've been in New York for decades now Rach. I think you're going to have to get used to it at some point."

"You know what. You're right. I want to change my statement. I miss when _I_ was in LA and _you _were in New York," the brunette said while pulling away from the blonde and moving swiftly down the sidewalk. Quinn just laughed and shook her head knowing that the 3 months they were apart were some of the toughest in their relationship. Ahead, Rachel slowed again and turned to face Quinn with a look that clearly said, "Hurry up. I'm hungry." Quinn smiled and relaxed into a casual stroll as she whistled just to piss off Rachel a little bit more. The brunette crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes stubbornly down the block and Quinn was hit hard by vivid memories of that exact face the week before they were supposed to leave for LA.

* * *

><p>The two months following "The Kiss" as Kurt has deemed it (quotes included), were actually pretty anticlimactic much to the disappointment of the two girls. That night, Rachel's play opened to a sold-out crowd and the cast all went out for drinks after to celebrate. Because it was a Thursday night and Quinn had class in the morning, she stayed out as late as she could before succumbing to exhaustion and leaving Rachel to stay out with her friends. Rachel let her go only after a drunken sloppy kiss against the cab and a promise that she wouldn't stay out too much longer. When the brunette got home two hours later, Quinn was in a deep sleep so she just crawled into bed with the blonde and passed out half on top of her. Rachel was swamped with last minute changes to the play at rehearsals that weekend and Quinn was starting her research on her thesis. The two were left with breakfast together in the mornings which were full of hesitant kisses and shy glances as they grasped what their new development meant. Sometimes it was easy to forget that they were finally <em>allowed<em> to act on their feelings. Being best friends and roommates for so long had kept them in a routine that was turning out to be not as easily broken as either of them figured it would be. Nights were spent in Quinn's bed when Rachel would come home at night after her show and snuggle up to her favorite blonde, instantly relaxing into a deep slumber. Quinn was usually out the door early on weekday mornings but not without a kiss to Rachel's forehead and a note somewhere in the apartment wishing the brunette a good day and to have a great show. The two would text or call each other throughout the day as they usually did but now the conversations were full of flirtations and innuendos because it was easier to be like this with the phone separating them. It was when they were home and together that they turned into shy teenagers again.

Quinn was in her Senior year and working constantly to sure up her GPA, perfect her thesis, and put in those extra office hours to get the recommendations she needs for Columbia. Her classes had her out of the apartment from early in the morning until dinner at least, if not longer. Rachel on the other hand, had gone on to take part time classes at Juilliard which had her at class three days a week instead of five. It meant that she would have to do her Senior year in two parts but it also meant she could keep working. The Senior production wasn't what mattered anymore. She knew that she would be on the stage from here on out but she wanted that degree and loved being a part of the program. Her director let her miss the rehearsals for those three days and only called on her to be there if any changes were made. She knew how lucky she was to have people around her helping her so the brunette was working herself to the bone to get it all done.

As it got closer and closer to their break, the girls' relationship finally started to heat up. Any free time together was spent on the couch or in a bed wrapped up in each other. Hesitant touches were becoming surer, shy glances gave way to smoldering stares, movie Mondays were usually abandoned halfway through for a long make out session. When they did have time to go out to Rainbows on Saturday nights after one of Rachel's shows, the two couldn't keep their hands off of each other. They were re-defining their relationship every day and the slow but sure process was helping to promise that it was going to be a lasting one. The two seemed to unconsciously agree upon waiting to take that final step until they could ensure that they could actually spend some serious time together before, during, and after and especially during a time that was not as high-stress.

The week after Quinn's last final was the week before Christmas and everything was starting to finally slow down. She still worked on her thesis throughout the week but only when Rachel was at rehearsal or a show. The blonde used the time to romance her girlfriend. She got up and made breakfast in the mornings, bought her flowers and surprised her backstage after a show, and for that week's movie Monday she even took Rachel to an open-air movie in Central Park for the most romantic film of all time (_When Harry Met Sally_ of course) complete with hot chocolate in a thermos and plenty of blankets to fight off the early-winter chill. Rachel was head over heels in love with Quinn but she was also losing her mind with sexual frustration.

"Kurt. You have no idea what this feels like," Rachel whined to her friend one afternoon over lunch. "I mean last night was amazing. The movie was wonderful of course and she was so thoughtful with the hot chocolate and snacks. We were all cuddly under the blankets and being disgustingly cute so I thought that when we got home it would finally be _the night._" Kurt rolled his eyes at Rachel's emphasis and motioned for her to continue. "Then we get home and I go into my room to slip into something a little sexier than the heaviest clothes I own and when I got into her room she was already in PJs and under the covers half-asleep!"

"Didn't she have her thesis review early yesterday morning?"

"Yeah."

"And didn't she stay up late Sunday night and wait for you to get home because you told her that morning that you missed her?"

"..Yeah," Rachel mumbled looking sheepish.

"So do you need me to continue and tell you why she was so tired?" Kurt said with a look Rachel knew all too well.

The brunette looked down at the table and began fiddling with her salad. "No Kurt. I get it. I just want her so badly. I mean when we're making out she does this thing with her tongue and I _so_ want to know what it feels like if she were to do that on my –"

"Rachel! What is the matter with you! How many times to be have to talk about the overshare rule!" Kurt screeched.

Rachel sighed heavily and mumbled, "Sorry."

Kurt reached across the table and took Rachel's hand to get her attention. When he was met with the pathetic eyes of his best friend he said, "Rach it's going to happen. Quinn just wants to sweep you off your feet. Enjoy the swooning while you can because honey, it doesn't last."

Rachel just smiled and squeezed Kurt's hand before saying, "You're right. I just got caught up. Besides she's taking me out for dinner on Saturday and then she's coming to finally see the show again before we meet you all at Rainbows so we'll see where that one goes."

"And?"

"And if it just leads to some more cuddling and kissing then I won't be disappointed," she drawled as Kurt nodded his head and took a sip of his water. "But a little dry-humping would be nice." Rachel just smiled in satisfaction as Kurt sprayed water all over himself and the table.

Saturday morning came way too early for Rachel's taste. Rolling over in Quinn's bed she found the spot next her to be cold and a note on the pillow that said,

_Last minute meeting with Professor Chambers. I'll be at the theater at 5 to pick you up._

_-xoxo Q_

Rachel groaned into her pillow. She hated waking up without Quinn and the weekends were usually the only time they could do that. She knew that this was Quinn's last week before she let herself have a real break for the holiday considering Christmas was in two days. Stretching like a cat, Rachel shook off that last remnants of sleep and moved to get changed and get on the elliptical. Rehearsal today was only going over some missteps they were facing in the first half of the play so she would be done early and ready for her big date with Quinn. A vision of the blonde all dressed up and presenting her with lilies at her dressing room door tonight made a brilliant smile lit up on Rachel's face, giving her a little more pep in her morning routine.

Quinn's meeting with her thesis advisor was crawling along. She knew that she had to be paying attention to everything he was saying in order to wrap up a major conclusion in the paper but she couldn't help but let her mind wander to tonight and the date she had set up for Rachel. She knew that after Rainbows tonight, if all went according to plan, they would finally take that last step and be together completely. Quinn knew that Rachel was on edge and as ready as she was but she also knew that the brunette relished in the romance of it all. Quinn would be damned if she didn't give her girlfriend the perfect first time together. Her mind had wandered so far away that she didn't even notice her advisor had asked her a question.

"Quinn?" Dr. Chambers tried again. The blonde shook her head and re-focused on the man sitting at his desk across from her.

"Sorry, Dr. Chambers. What did you say?"

The gray-haired man narrowed his eyes at his promising student and said, "You've been spacing out on me all morning kid. Anything I should be worried about?"

Quinn smiled sheepishly and shook her head. "Sorry Professor. It's just been a really long semester and I have big plans I'm looking forward to tonight is all. I'm with you on that change in chapter 4 though."

Dr. Chambers smiled at the blonde. He had twin boys the same age as the girl sitting across from him and he knew that it was almost impossible to rein in a 20 year-old once their brain got to wandering. Quinn had become a really special student to him and the blonde in turn had looked to him for guidance over the past two and a half years, knowing that she didn't have many adults she could turn to for help. Dr. Chambers knew something was going on with the girl when she came in one day and began saying the same name over and over for the next two weeks. Rachel had become a huge part of the blonde's life and he knew that this was their first holiday together. Instead of trying to get her attention back on her paper he just said, "How about we call it a day Quinn." The blonde just raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I know I know I just said this morning that we really need to sure-up some points in this first half today but you my dear are clearly already thinking about whatever you have going on with Rachel tonight, am I right?" Quinn didn't say yes or no, she simply blushed and look away from her favorite Professor. "Ah young love. Now get out before I change my mind."

Laughing, the blonde hopped up and started to gather her papers together. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small wrapped gift and set it in front of the man. "Merry Christmas Professor. And thank you. You know, for all the help so far." Dr. Chambers smiled at the gesture and said, "Merry Christmas to you too Quinn. I'll see you in a few weeks." Quinn nodded and made to move out the door when Dr. Chambers called out to her. She turned around as he said, "Have fun tonight. And for God sakes kiddo enjoy a bit of time off." Quinn chuckled and said, "Trust me, I plan on it," before turning and leaving the man's office, barely able to suppress the urge to skip down the street and back to her apartment.

When Quinn got home she expected Rachel to be cleaning the apartment from top to bottom like she did every Saturday since Quinn had started to leave in the mornings for extra time with her Professor. The apartment had been cleaned alright but the brunette was nowhere to be found. Frowning she pulled out her phone to give her girlfriend a call. After six rings, the call went to voicemail and Quinn's frown grew. She left a message about getting out early and to call when she could before she moved to get changed and go for a run. All of her nervous energy needed to be dealt with and it was one of those crisp December afternoons where being outside was extremely refreshing. The blonde ran for an hour, came home and showered, picked out her outfit for that night, stopped by the flower shop to pick up Rachel's lilies, and the brunette still hadn't called back. Seeing that it was 4:30, Quinn got changed and touched up her make-up before heading over to the theater to pick up her girlfriend, hoping that whatever she was doing today was taken care of and she'd be ready to go when the blonde got there.

Max, the security guard at the front of the theater, smiled at Quinn as she came in dressed up with a bouquet of lilies. "Big date?" he asked. The blonde just blushed and nodded. "She's in her room. Go ahead back."

Quinn thanked the man as she made her way through the back hallways toward the dressing room Rachel shared with two of her cast mates. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, failing to keep the big grin from her face. Rachel swung the door open and Quinn honest-to-God lost her breath. Her eyes went wide as she took in the tiny black dress and heels the brunette had on and could nothing but gape like a fish. Rachel was hoping for that reaction and she just smirked and let the blonde take it in for a minute before saying, "My eyes are up here babe."

"Holy hell woman. You look amazing," Quinn said with a smile painting her face.

Rachel blushed and smiled right back. Even though she was hoping for Quinn to react like this, it still was flattering to hear. "Thanks _woman_. You like pretty hot yourself.

Finally getting her bearings, the blonde handed over the flowers with a shy, "These are for you."

"Thank you Quinn. They're gorgeous." The brunette took the bouquet and smelled them as she turned back into her room and laid them on her vanity.

Quinn followed her in and after a quick inspection said, "Where is everyone?"

Rachel just smirked and sauntered over to her girlfriend. Wrapping her arms around her neck she husked, "They decided to give us a little space. It's just you and me tonight baby."

"Thank God," Quinn breathed before connecting their lips in a passionate kiss. Her hands found Rachel's hips and her fingers tightened as if to tell the brunette to not go anywhere. Their lips moved across each other's with practiced ease and when Rachel licked along Quinn's bottom lip, the blonde snapped. Walking the brunette back to the vanity, the blonde lifted her up to sit on it and stepped in between Rachel's legs. She pulled her mouth away from her girlfriend's to suck in a quick breath before attacking the other girl's neck. Rachel could do nothing but hold on and go along for the ride. Letting out a groan, the brunette brought her legs up to wrap around Quinn's waist, pulling the other girl in as close as she could. She tilted her head away to give the blonde more skin to feast on and moaned wantonly when she felt Quinn bite down and claim her. The blonde seemed to rein herself back in after hearing Rachel call out and after a few more nips to her neck and a quick peck to the brunette's lips, Quinn stepped back. Rachel's legs dropped like dead weights and her eyes fluttered open to meet the swirling dark green of her girlfriend's eyes. "Wha-?" she breathed out, confused about why the girl had stopped trying to devour her. Quinn just reached up and smoothed Rachel's hair down and said, "We've got dinner plans."

Rachel huffed and puffed the entire way to the restaurant but once she saw they were eating at her favorite place, she calmed considerably and dinner went perfectly. Rachel put on the best show of her life that night and just like she hoped, Quinn was waiting for her back in the dressing room. After changing and getting ready, the two made their way to Rainbows to meet up with all their friends. As the night wore on, the girls got a little tipsy and a lot handsy. It was about 2 am when the blonde looked over to see her girlfriend sitting in the same spot she had been sitting when Quinn had mistakenly tried to pick her up so many years ago. Smirking mischievously, the blonde moved over to the brunette and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "He gorgeous. Can I buy you a drink?" Rachel whirled around to face her girlfriend with wide eyes and grabbed the front of her shirt to pull her in for a deep kiss. Their friends all wolf-whistled and as kisses turned to caresses Kurt said loudly, "Okay! I think it's time for a few of us to go home! Right Quinn and Rachel?" Hearing their names, the girls pulled apart slowly but never acknowledged the boy. Quinn just breathed, "Home?" against the brunette's lips and Rachel nodded, shooting up off of her seat and pulling the blonde out of the bar and back to their apartment.

The pair stayed silent in the cab ride home but never let go of each other. Once they reached the elevator, Rachel shoved Quinn against the back wall and kissed her like she would never be able to kiss her again. Quinn's legs felt like jelly and she knew that if they didn't get to a bed soon, there was going to be an issue. When she heard the ding of their floor, the blonde grabbed her girlfriend and tossed her over her shoulder. Rachel squealed and laughed as she reached down to slap Quinn's ass in punishment. The blonde made quick work of their door and moved into her bedroom to deposit the other girl on her bed. The two teased each other for a good hour before Rachel got frustrated. All it took was a whispered, "I want you Quinn. So much," followed by a mumbled, "Please," before Quinn was gone, finally allowing herself to make love to the woman of her dreams.

After that night it was if a flood gate had opened. The two pounced on each other whenever and wherever they could. Rachel's fathers came to stay for a few days over the holiday break and Quinn knew they were torturing her on purpose with their constantly showing up just when a moment got heated. They both did it with a smile on their face though so she knew it wasn't out of spite. She fit right in with the Berry men and they loved the blonde as much, if not more than Rachel did. The Spring semester was filled with craziness just like the Fall. Rachel's play was a hit and they performed in front of sold out crowds almost every night. Quinn was facing the final push for her grades and thesis and on top of that, she was filling out law school applications from New York to California. That didn't keep the girls away from each other though. The semester and the following summer were filled with special nights especially _Emergency_'s Tony Nomination, Quinn graduating at the top of her class with a 4.0 and the completion of her thesis (which was very well received), the couple's six-month anniversary which Rachel insisted they celebrate, and Quinn's graduation. When _Emergency_ swept the competition on Tony night and when Quinn received her acceptance to Columbia, Rachel and Quinn celebrated exceptionally well.

* * *

><p>One night in mid-October, the lead for <em>Emergency<em> came down with the flu and her understudy was battling strep. The director asked Rachel to step up and, naturally, she blew the audience away. What she didn't know was that that night there were two men in the audience who were scouring the stages looking for a fresh face to lead their new musical. It was a racy play about a student-teacher relationship called _After-School Special_ and they needed someone who could pull off the sexy-innocent act and it seemed as though Rachel Berry was the perfect candidate. The two, Tom Hewlett and Chris Garcia, approached Rachel that same night and asked her to audition. She did a week later and they knew they had their lead. Rachel was excited about the play and told her director that she was going to fulfill the rest of her contract but then she was moving onto do something different. She worked until November 1st and then switched over to workshops for _After-School Special_. Quinn was ecstatic when she heard the news. She knew it was only a matter of time before Rachel would take over her own show.

The blonde herself was swamped with work and would be for the next three years. The two worked to spend as much time together through their busy schedules and they had a system that worked. It was hard, sure, but they loved each other and made it work. Quinn felt that as long as they could come home to the other and be able to sleep in the same bed at night, then they would get through it. It wasn't always going to be this hard. _After-School _Special opened to rave reviews in July and Rachel was off and running. They returned to their "show schedule" as well as Movie Mondays which quickly turned into Sexy Mondays for the whole next year. Rachel received a Tony nomination for Female Lead and the play itself was up for a slew of awards. She won, of course, and so did the play making a night in August extremely special. Kurt and Blaine tied the knot that Fall in New York and Quinn and Rachel couldn't help but think more seriously about their own future. The two were basically married as it was but they couldn't fathom the idea of spending time away from anything right now, especially to plan a wedding and honeymoon.

Rachel was under contract for two years with _After-School Special_ and the following July would see the end of her run unless she chose to renew it and stay on. That May, Quinn graduated 3rd in her class and locked herself in the library for the entire month of June to study for the Bar Exam. Rachel got a call for an offer she didn't think she'd be able to say no to and waited until after Quinn's exam to tell her about it. The Monday after the exam the blonde was lounging on the couch flipping through pointless TV because she could, when Rachel got home. "Quinn?" Rachel called out when she got in the door.

"In here baby," the blonde called from the living room. Rachel found her girlfriend sprawled out on the couch in her Columbia sweat pants and an _Emergency_ t-shirt that Rachel knew Quinn stole from her drawer months ago. She smiled sweetly at the blonde and collapsed on top of her. "Oomph," Quinn breathed out when Rachel sat right on her stomach. The brunette just giggled before moving to slip into her favorite spot; half on top of Quinn between the blonde and the back of the couch. Quinn just slipped her arm around Rachel and started to draw lazy patterns on the brunette's lower back. "How was your day?" she asked, never taking her eyes off of the SVU re-run.

"It was good," Rachel said snuggling in a little further. "Productive." Quinn just hummed in response. Rachel bit her lip as she thought out how she was going to ask Quinn her next question. "Baby?" Another hum from Quinn. "How do you feel about California?"

Still not turning away from the TV, the blonde said, "It's nice. Why? Are you thinking about taking a break now that we're both done?"

"Sort of." Quinn knew that tone of voice. It was the same one that Rachel used whenever she wanted something from her that Quinn did not want to do. It got her attention immediately. She turned off the TV and adjusted herself to look down at her girlfriend. Raising her eyebrow in silent question, Rachel sighed and continued, "What do you think about living in California?" Now Quinn was just confused. Hadn't she _just_ taken her Bar in New York? And what about the stage? There was no stage in California. There were way too many questions flying through Quinn's head for her to pick just one so she just stayed silent and furrowed her brow at the other girl. A silent look that meant, "Explain."

Rachel hoisted herself off of the blonde and sat up next to her so she could have this talk. "I got a call. They're doing a movie version of _Wicked_ and they want me for Elphaba."

"Okay. And that would mean what exactly?"

"That would mean leaving for Los Angeles the first week in August and living there for the next 10 months," Rachel said quietly, barely able to look at her girlfriend. She knew this was a lot but it was also a really amazing opportunity. The brunette had been torn between celebrating it and hiding it, waiting for the right time to break the news.

Quinn looked dumbstruck. She wasn't exactly sure what to say at all, and Rachel, taking the silence as a bad thing quickly added, "But there are also a bunch of other shows I've been offered so I could stay here. It's not even that big of a deal. While Elphaba may be an iconic role and one I've always wanted to do, there is always the revival which is bound to happen when the movie's done. And before it comes back maybe I can originate another role that might even be better than the Wicked Witch. So really, you'd be doing me a favor by saying no."

Rachel saying that it was Quinn's decision snapped the blonde out of her stupor, "What? Rachel! No!" The brunette's face instantly drooped and Quinn rushed to explain. "Baby I mean no, you _have _to take it. This is so cool! I mean Elphaba! You're going to be immortalized forever if you do this movie!" Quinn said with more enthusiasm than Rachel could have possibly expected.

The brunette sat up a little straighter and a smile crept its way back across her face, "Really?"

Realizing her girlfriend needed her, Quinn slid across the couch to close the small space between them before taking Rachel's face in her hands. "Rach, you were born for this and you know it. You sing"Defying Gravity" in your sleep." Rachel laughed a bit and wiped her watery eyes. "You're going to be amazing and you need to call them back now and tell them you'll take it."

"But what are we going to do? You just took your Bar for New York. You can't practice in California." Rachel sniffled. "And you have to come with me because I can't handle all this on my own."

"Baby, you know I can't go to California. And you said it was only ten months? How many Hollywood couples do the New York to LA distance huh? Like it or not Miss Berry, after this movie you are so considered part of that Hollywood lifestyle." Quinn said with all the conviction she could. Deep down she knew it was going to be the hardest thing the two ever did but she was sure of their bond and knew they could make it through anything.

Rachel wormed her way into Quinn's arms and kissed the blonde fiercely before saying, "Quinn Fabray, you are my rock. What would I do without you?" Quinn couldn't help but squirm when Rachel started to kiss her way down her jaw and into the hollow of her throat.

"You'll never have to know Rachel."

* * *

><p>Rachel left for Los Angeles on August 2nd and Quinn had taken up her job at the theater again to keep herself occupied until her exam results came back. Kurt had gone with the brunette to work in the costume department for the movie so Quinn felt a little more comfortable knowing Rachel wouldn't be there alone. By September, she had had a few offers already from different firms who knew she was at the top of her class but none of them seemed quite right. She kept her options open of course but there was something about not being able to make such a huge decision when she was hurting. Rachel being gone was harder than the blonde imagined it would be. Sleeping alone was still taking time to get used to and Quinn thought it was never going to happen. The blonde fell back into the same routine she had before Rachel had come sweeping into her life but it just wasn't satisfying anymore. She talked to the brunette as much as she could but Rachel's schedule was getting busier and busier everyday once the project caught media attention and the time difference wasn't affording them many waking hours together. By mid-October, both girls had enough. Rachel was starting to catch her first negative press surrounding her looks and whether or not she was the right choice for such a major role. The brunette would call Quinn in tears some nights and it was all Quinn could do to stay in New York and wait for the stupid test results. They would be in by mid-November but the blonde knew that those results might have landed her a job but they wouldn't bring Rachel home. Making a completely crazy decision on her own one night, Quinn made a few phone calls, packed a few bags and hailed a cab for JFK.<p>

Rachel heard the chime of her doorbell go off at 1 am and immediately panicked. She grabbed her phone and had 911 already dialed in as she made her way to the front door, turning on every light as she went. Looking through the peep hole, she was met by the grumpy face of her girlfriend. The brunette ripped the door open and launched herself at Quinn before the blonde even registered what happened. Quinn caught her easily and breathed her in deep. Pulling back Rachel said, "What are you doing here?"

Quinn's frown took over her perfect features when she mumbled, "I don't wanna do it anymore."

Rachel was perplexed. "Do what baby?"

Quinn just tightened her hold around the other girl and pulled her close again. "Be away from you. It was stupid to stay. From now on I'll follow you anywhere Rachel Berry." Tears instantly sprang in the brunette's eyes. Pulling back slightly, Rachel placed a soft, sweet kiss on Quinn's lips before taking her hand and a bag and leading her into the house.

"Well then Miss Fabray. Welcome home."

Quinn took a job as a paralegal in a fast-paced firm in the city that specialized in Entertainment Law. It wasn't her first choice but the people were great and the crazy hours kept her busy. The girls had been inseparable the first few weeks Quinn was in LA. Rachel introduced her to all of her cast and it was if the time apart and brought them even closer together. A strong link had been made and it was going to take something tragic to break it. A few weeks into her stay, Quinn found out that she did pass her Bar (surprise surprise) and Rachel took her out for a special night to celebrate. As much as Quinn liked the new firm, she couldn't get over how much she would rather be in New York starting up her own career as a lawyer. The pair flew back to Lima to celebrate Hanukkah with Rachel's dads and Quinn stopped in to see her mom and her mom's new husband. They made nice for a little while but Judy couldn't agree with Quinn's life choices. Her mother never said an ill word against the fact that Quinn was gay but also never asked if there was anybody in her life. Quinn dealt with the awkwardness for an hour before making her way back to the Berry's and cuddling up to her gorgeous girlfriend on the couch in front of a roaring fire.

As the rest of the winter wore on, Quinn became increasingly busy once her firm noticed how much of an asset she really was. Rachel was swamped with filming and press for the movie and their lives quickly fell back into the routine they had in New York when their schedules kept them apart, but this time, something was different. Quinn would have rather been in New York and unconsciously voiced that opinion to Rachel on several occasions. Rachel knew that she was the only reason that Quinn was in LA and unhappy. Slowly, the diva began to resent her decision. One of her cast mates, Alex, had a thing for her too and he would whisper horrible things about why Quinn had to call and bail on a night out with Rachel's friends, _again_, or why she had been spending so much time at the office and not home with her. Rachel was slowly losing her mind with guilt and it made her do some crazy things like question Quinn's loyalty.

Late one Saturday night in March, Quinn didn't return home from the office until almost 2 am. Rachel had asked the blonde to come out with her for dinner that evening but Quinn had said she couldn't, that she was working late, and that one of the associate lawyers, _Heather_, had asked Quinn for help. Rachel decided to not go out and figuring Quinn would be home around 9, made a late dinner for the two complete with candles and Quinn's favorite jazz album. When the blonde stumbled in 5 hours later, clearly drunk, Rachel just shook her head and slammed the bedroom door closed leaving Quinn to sleep in the guest room. Quinn tried to apologize and broach the subject later but Rachel refused, giving her an icy glare instead. Throughout the next few months, Rachel was still worked up over Quinn but hardly gave an indication. Quinn knew something was wrong but didn't know what and she assumed that Rachel was just stressed with work because she'd tell her if something was up with them. Wouldn't she?

Heather's name had been coming up in conversation more and more and Rachel did all she could to not let steam pour out of her ears anytime Quinn mentioned her. The blonde was blowing off more and more time with Rachel to spend at the office and occasionally went out with all of her co-workers figuring that the brunette was doing the same. For a while, Rachel kept telling herself that Quinn was just busy and she always threw herself into her work but at the same time, Rachel knew that the blonde was a romantic and they used to have a passion for each other but it seemed as though LA sucked it right out of their relationship. The brunette decided to confront Kurt about the issue and asked him to go have lunch with the blonde and see what he could find out about the office. Kurt said that Rachel should just go herself but the brunette didn't want to seem clingy. Kurt obliged with a huff and came back with a definite, "Yes. Legs McGee totally has a thing for your woman." Rachel knew she was acting crazy and that she could trust the blonde 100% but there was something about this situation that had her fuming.

When Quinn asked Rachel to go with her to a dinner the firm was hosting late in April, the brunette jumped at the chance to get to show her face around Quinn's colleagues and let her know that the blonde was taken. Putting on her best show-face, Rachel showered Quinn with attention all night and even though the blonde was confused with the change in character, she let it go because it felt so nice to have her girlfriend back for a night. They sat at a table with two of the other associates and their wives and Heather and her friend, Paul, who was clearly there as strictly a friend and to try to hit on every single girl at the dinner. Heather constantly pulled Quinn's attention away from Rachel throughout the night with office gossip and jokes that she knew the brunette wouldn't understand therefore shutting her out of all conversation. It was clear to Rachel that Quinn was completely ignorant to Heather's advances but when the other woman leaned over close to whisper something in Quinn's ear and her hand settled on the blonde's forearm, Rachel had had enough. Abruptly standing up, she looked down at the blonde and said, "Quinn, I'm not really feeling so great. Would you mind if we cut this short?" Hearing the shakiness of her girlfriend's voice Quinn brushed Heather off and stood next to the brunette. Placing her hand on the small of Rachel's back and cupping her face with her other hand the blonde said, "Are you okay Rach?"

Rachel smiled at Quinn's tenderness and just said, "Yea baby, just a headache. Do you mind?"

"Of course not," Quinn replied as she turned to grab both of their clutches off the table. "Sorry everyone, we need to make an early exit." Rachel almost cheered when Heather's face fell. Almost. "Have a great night and I'll see you all Monday morning." The blonde instantly turned back to Rachel and ushered her out of the hall and into the night air never removing her hand from the girl's back and being completely sweet. _Too sweet_, Rachel had thought.

In the car Rachel assured Quinn it was nothing but when they got home the blonde ran a hot bath for the diva and brought her a mug of her favorite tea before climbing in behind her and rubbing the tension from the brunette's head. Rachel was so happy to have her girlfriend back that she was almost tempted to not bring up the problem but her curiosity had always been her greatest downfall. When the two of them were snuggled up in bed Rachel mentioned the subject, "So, Heather seems nice."

Quinn, half-asleep, just hummed in response. Rachel continued to draw patterns across the blonde's collarbone, keeping her passive, before she said, "And she's completely in love with you." _That_ caught Quinn's attention.

Pulling back from the brunette slightly, the blonde just said, "What are you talking about?"

"It's no big deal, really. I mean, who wouldn't be in love with you. She just also seems like the type of woman who stops at nothing to get what she wants. Especially when that something is already taken."

Quinn just laughed off Rachel's behavior and shimmied down the bed so the two were face to face. "Rachel, Heather's not in love with me. And even if she was, it wouldn't matter. You're the one I come home to every night and the one I want to wake up to the next morning. Right?" Rachel just nodded her head slightly, clearly not believing a word. Quinn just furrowed her brow at the tiny girl in her arms and said, "Where's all this coming from anyway?"

Rachel heaved a sigh and said, "Nowhere. Don't worry about it. Let's just get some sleep," as she turned around in the blonde's embrace.

Quinn just tightened her hold on the girl and buried her face in chestnut hair. "I love you Rachel Berry," the blonde breathed right before she fell asleep.

Rachel just stayed silent.

* * *

><p>The next month was a lot more of the same. Quinn worked ridiculous hours at the firm and Rachel was working furiously to wrap up the movie. The distance between the two was enormous and Quinn didn't know what to do to fix it. She assured the diva time and time again that Heather was not an issue and she couldn't help that she had to work so closely with her. She even went so far as to say that it was the same as Rachel and Alex but she wasn't saying a word about that relationship was she. That shut Rachel up and Quinn took that as a cue to keep an eye on Rachel's charming co-star. The two not only hadn't been intimate in over a two months, but they barely even touched in their sleep which was so not like them. Usually they were so twisted together that they could barely tell one from the other. Quinn called Kurt one day and asked about Alex and the boy confirmed her suspicion. The guy had set his sights on Rachel and was doing all he could to get her into bed. When Quinn turned the tables on Rachel, the brunette balked and all she said was, "How dare you!" before storming off down the hall and throwing Quinn's pillow out of their bedroom before slamming the door shut. That reaction did nothing but convince the blonde that there was something between the two.<p>

A week later, the two were still giving each other the cold shoulder. It was if they were having trouble doing what they did best: communicating. Quinn refused to budge on the fact that Rachel was so wrapped up in this movie and having the blonde hang out with just her friends and Rachel hated that the blonde worked so many hours and never made time for her anymore. One Monday night at the end of May Rachel was on set working on a night shoot when Quinn shot up out of bed having been dreaming of something horrible happening to her girlfriend. It was as if someone had slapped her across the face. How could she be so stupid? They were both so stubborn and this stalemate was going to destroy them. Knowing what she had to do, Quinn got out of bed and put on a change of clothes before making her way over to set. She caught Rachel in between takes and when the brunette saw the wild eyes of her girlfriend across the park, she dropped what she was doing and took off. Quinn didn't say a word when Rachel questioned why she was there. She just searched the girl for injury and pulled her close as she shuddered a breath. "This is stupid. And I'm sorry. And I _miss_ you Rachel. We sleep next to each other every night but I miss you like I've never missed anything in the world," Quinn rambled into Rachel's ear.

Closing her eyes in relief Rachel turned her face into the blonde's neck and sighed, "You're so right Quinn. This is ridiculous." The two stayed silent for a minute before Rachel asked, "How did we get here?"

Quinn pulled away from Rachel's shoulder to find her chocolate eyes swimming with emotion. "I don't know Rach. All I know is I hate it and I want you back. I want _us_ back."

Rachel let the tears spill down her cheeks as she said, "Me too baby. Me too."

That night was spent wrapped in each other again, both girls starting to feel like they were on their way back home.

Rachel approached her on Wednesday and with a small voice said, "So, the wrap party is Friday night. I'd really like it if you would come." Quinn's heart couldn't help but melt at the brunette's sad eyes. It was if the two had forgotten how it was to love each other over the past four months and Quinn knew that she could never let that happen. Even though Rachel was still miles away from her, there was no way she would let go of the girl. Never.

The blonde reached out and pulled her girlfriend into a hug and said, "Of course baby." Quinn grasped the back of Rachel's shirt as tight as she could as if she felt like the girl would slowly drift away completely if she didn't hold on. "You know how proud I am of you for this right?"

Rachel just clung to Quinn, also refusing to give up without a fight and whispered, "Thank you." The two stood holding onto each other for dear life in the kitchen for what seemed like hours. Rachel never wanted to be without this girl. Quinn was her life and the two just needed to remind each other of that. This was just a rut, they would get over it. Quinn was coming on Friday and Rachel wanted to view it as a turning point. "I love you Quinn," she reminded the girl softly.

Quinn just let silent tears track down her face into the brunette's hair and said, "I love you too Rachel. I'll always love you."

Friday night came and Heather walked into Quinn's office just as the blonde was quickly packing up to get to the wrap party.

"Hey," the other girl said, "Where are you going in such a rush?"

Quinn looked up from her desk and said, "Hey Heather," before turning back to her things and continuing to pack up. "You know I have Rachel's wrap party tonight. I'm already running late so I've got to go." Heather slipped further into the office quietly shutting Quinn's door behind her before leaning against it. "Was there something you needed?"

"Actually," the other blonde breathed in a voice that dripped with want, "there is something I've been wanting from you." The lawyer's tone of voice caught Quinn's attention and she looked up to see the woman stalking over to her desk with a look of pure seduction. Quinn froze as Heather rounded her desk and came to stand right in front of the blonde. Quinn just narrowed her eyes at the woman, not quite believing that she was being this forward.

"Yes?" she asked once she found her voice again. Unfortunately she couldn't hide the slight quiver of nerves and the other blonde smirked when she picked it up as well.

Reaching out, Heather ran her hand down Quinn's arm and said, "You know what I want Quinn. Stop playing dumb."

Quinn shook the lawyer's hand off lightly and said, "I'm flattered Heather but first of all you know I have a girlfriend and secondly, you shouldn't be doing this with someone you work with."

Heather's cocky smirk stayed in place and she leaned in even closer to her paralegal. Running her finger down Quinn's cheek the woman whispered, "Come on Quinn. You know that girl is over you and all about the Hollywood lights now, especially that co-star of hers. And besides, the way you've been flirting with me since you started here proves that you don't love her anymore." The blonde was so close to Quinn, she could feel her breath on her lips and rocketed away from the other woman when she leaned in to kiss her. Quinn couldn't believe it. Rachel was right. And here this woman was talking about her relationship. How _dare_ she. Quinn drew a deep breath and raised herself to her tallest point before narrowing her eyes in what could only be construed as complete disgust at the woman in front of her. Heather's eyes went wide. She had never seen the other blonde like this before and she instantly shrank in on herself.

"Heather," Quinn started firmly from the other side of her desk, "I don't know who the hell you think you are coming in here and telling me who I do and don't love. You know _nothing_ about Rachel and I and it wouldn't matter anyway because you could _never_ hold a candle to her. The blonde's voice was dripping with disdain for this woman standing in her office. "I love that girl more than life itself and nothing you say will _ever_ change that so take your slutty outfit and sleazy conversation out of my office. _Now._" Heather drew up the last of her pride and rolled her eyes in Quinn's direction before she moved out of the office. Quinn instantly deflated. She hasn't tapped into that side of herself in a long time but all she knew was that it felt good. She had a fiery passion again and there was only one person who she wanted to be with in that moment. Tossing the rest of her things into her bag, Quinn took off for her car and practically flew to the restaurant to see her girl.

On the other side of the city, Rachel was continuously checking her watch. Quinn was now an hour late and the brunette was quickly losing the confidence she gained back the other night. Alex was getting harder and harder to fend off and Kurt was nowhere to be found. Blaine showed up and surprised the designer about 30 minutes ago and Rachel had yet to see either of them since. Just as she drained the last of her wine from her glass, another was held out for her from behind. Turning around, Rachel met the steely blue eyes of her co-star. She took the glass from him with a mumbled, "Thanks Alex." For a second she had allowed herself to think it was Quinn and the disappointment was getting to be too great. She knew Alex was just being nice so that he could get her drunk and take her home but she was starting to become powerless to resist. "So," he started, swaying toward her, clearly drunk already, "Is that blonde bimbo of a girlfriend standing you up again?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at the man and said, "Quinn is-"

"Right here." Rachel gasped and pushed Alex out of the way so she could see the girl behind her co-star.

Alex looked over at the blonde and said, "Wow she actually showed up."

Quinn winced slightly at the statement because she knew it was true but sent the man she best glare before saying, "Yea. I did." The blonde then turned to Rachel and said, "And its time I did something that is long overdue." Rachel just looked at the blonde quizzically as Quinn moved into her space and took her wine glass from her, setting it down on the table next to them. She returned her smoldering gaze to that of her girlfriend's and watch Rachel visibly gulp. The right side of her mouth quirked up as she said, "Hey baby. You look gorgeous." Rachel opened her mouth to say something in reply but it was muffled by the blonde's lips on hers. The brunette's knees instantly buckled but Quinn was right there to catch her. Grasping onto the blonde's shoulders, Rachel let Quinn kiss the life out of her and returned it with equal enthusiasm. The fire that normally engulfed the two girls returned instantly and Rachel couldn't get close enough to the girl of her dreams.

The two pulled away and gasped for breath but Quinn's hands around Rachel's waist didn't allow her to go far. She rested her forehead against the diva's and said, "You were right Rach. About Heather." She felt the girl instantly stiffen in her arms and saw her eyes go wide but Quinn quickly said, "But I took care of it. And I came right here."

"You did?" Rachel asked in a tiny voice.

Quinn looked down at the girl like she had spoken another language, "Of course I did. I showed her a little bit of the Head Cheerleader and she ran away with her tail between her legs."

Rachel chuckled at that and said, "I don't blame her. The Head Cheerleader is totally hot now but then-" The brunette trailed off and Quinn just raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay she was totally hot then too but also really scary." Quinn laughed at the girl in her arms and leaned down to kiss her again softly. "I'm just so glad you came," the brunette whispered against her girlfriend's lips.

"Rachel, you know there's nowhere else I'd rather be than right here, holding you." For some reason, that was it for Rachel. The teasing mood disappeared and all the months of pent up jealousy and anger came pouring out in gasping sobs as the blonde just rocked her girlfriend softly. Quinn leaned down and whispered, "I'm so sorry Rachel. I should have been here more," into the brunette's ear and repeated, "I love you," over and over again.

Rachel pulled away after a good 10 minutes and realized that Quinn had dragged them into a secluded corner so she could have her breakdown away from her cast mates. Rachel wiped furiously at her eyes and said, "No Quinn. No I'm the one who's sorry." Realizing she was extremely angry at herself Rachel cried, "God I was such a bitch! I trust you completely. I don't know why I put you through that. I just let Alex get in my head and – God Quinn I'm so sorry." Rachel continued to cry and Quinn couldn't help but cry right along with her. Quinn knew as she wiped away Rachel's tears that they were going to be okay.

By the end of May, Rachel had wrapped the movie and it was set to come out Christmas of that year. When she was done, a million offers flooded in and she had choice of where to go and what to do. This was Quinn's decision though. She knew that wherever the blonde wanted to be she would be and she would find something to do either way. Quinn told her that there were some big cases that she wanted to wrap up and they could stay at least the summer. Rachel took the opportunity to film a five episode guest spot on a Showtime program called _Writers_ that was instantly getting attention and Emmy talk. What mattered though wasn't the firm, or the movie, or LA. The girls just focused on each other and they were closer and more in love than they had ever been.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Quinn did miss the weather in LA too but she definitely didn't miss how cold she and Rachel were to each other. Thinking back on their time was bittersweet. Their relationship had grown and matured because of the circumstances but the cost was almost too high to pay. Quinn just smiled at her girl down the block and jogged to catch up to her. Rachel's face lit up in a triumphant smile at the blonde but was caught off-guard when her wife hugged her tightly and said, "I love you Rachel Berry," in her ear. Rachel knew that talk of LA made Quinn emotional so she just squeezed the blonde hard and whispered, "I love you too Quinn Fabray."

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. Life and all. Hope you liked it!**

**p.s. I own nothing. And thank you for all the alerts, story/author favorites, and especially taking the time to review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey all! First of all, thanks so much for the interest in the story. I really do appreciate it and I look forward to the e-mails the day after I put a story up. Quick reminder about the timeline though. Obviously we're covering A LOT of time in one chapter so sometimes not everything will be completely hashed out and only a select few bigger events will be talked about. I wish I could put it all in but that would kind of defeat the purpose. **

**Also, you can assume who is speaking in an English accent. I didn't change the dialogue to reflect that because I'd probably offend entirely too many people.**

**Okay well now that that's said, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day 2044<strong>

Quinn and Rachel were paying for their lunch when a woman stopped by their table and asked Rachel for an autograph. Her English accent was extremely thick and Rachel struck up a conversation about how much she loved her time in London, performing on stage in the West End. The woman had seen the play back when Rachel did it and was lucky enough to snag tickets for Rachel's return to the stage that evening. Quinn just sat back and watched her wife interact with the woman. She remembered Rachel's time in London fondly; especially the last few months where she got to go out and stay with the brunette while working on a project for her old professor. When the woman walked away, Rachel turned to Quinn and said, "I _love_ their accents."

Quinn just chuckled and said, "I know you do. Remember James?"

"James! Of course I remember James! You know it's a good thing you came out when you did. I was totally planning on running away with him."

"Yea I'm sure you, James, his wife, four kids, and twelve grandchildren would've made a fantastic family," Quinn said with a laugh.

Rachel sat back in her chair and smiled over at the blonde. "Please, Mrs. McNeil loved me." As another fan came to stop by their table, Quinn let her mind drift back to their interesting time abroad.

* * *

><p><strong>August 2020<strong>

"Quinn. Honey. I need you," Kurt said into the phone on late August evening.

"Kurt. Darling. What can I do for you?" Quinn replied, mocking her friend. The blonde had just settled into her couch after a _really_ long day at the office and had hardly got a chance to breathe before her phone rang.

Kurt scoffed at Quinn's tone and said, "Rachel just got a call, got really excited, and then started hyperventilating. In a bad way though."

Quinn rolled her eyes at the dramatics of the two, "Is there a good way?"

"Of course there is. Remember the first time you kissed a girl?" the boy asked.

Quinn froze, remembering her first kiss with a girl from her Psychology 110 study group Freshman year. How did he-? "How did you know that?" Quinn asked voicing her thoughts, "I'm pretty sure you weren't there but I wouldn't be surprised if you were. You're a creeper like that."

"I'm choosing to ignore the last part of that statement and answer the question. I knew that because I know you. Now get your ass over here and help your girlfriend," Kurt snapped before hanging up the phone. Once Quinn processed the conversation, she actually got a little worried. Rachel and Kurt were extremely over the top and it didn't take much for a squeal-fest but this time, Kurt didn't seem like a giggly school girl hiding a secret. The blonde hopped up, slipped her heels back on and made her way to Kurt's place. When she got there she found Rachel curled up in a ball in the corner of his wraparound couch. She looked at the boy who just shrugged his shoulders and moved into the bedroom in order to give the two some privacy. Quinn sat down gently next to her girlfriend, avoiding sudden movements that might set Rachel off again. She placed her hand on the brunette's back and rubbed soft circles until Rachel opened her eyes and looked at the blonde. Sniffling pathetically, Rachel crawled into Quinn's lap and buried her face in the girl's neck. Quinn continued the soothing motion and whispered, "What's going on love?"

Rachel just shook her head slightly and clung to the blonde even tighter. Quinn racked her brain on what the call could've meant. Kurt said she got really excited and _then_ started hyperventilating so it couldn't be bad news like someone dying or anything. And the two of them were better than they had ever been. Rachel just finished up filming for the TV show the weekend before and Quinn's workload was slowing considerably so there wasn't anything that she felt Rachel had to worry about with them. Was there? "Rachel, did- did something happen?" Quinn tried again and received yet another head shake. "Baby I'm going to need you to talk to me. I'm starting to freak out a little."

Rachel took one last deep breath into Quinn's neck and pulled back so she could look into the worrying eyes of her girlfriend. Quinn's brow was furrowed at the girl in front of her and her eyes were bright and alive but full of concern. Rachel let out the breath she was holding and whispered, "You're going to hate me."

Quinn recoiled a bit. What had she ever done to make Rachel think she could possibly hate her? (Okay okay, _lately_). "Rach. You know better than that. What's going on?"

Rachel sniffled one more time and extracted herself from the blonde's arms before sliding back across to the other end of the couch. Quinn tracked her movement and waited for the other girl to speak. "Barry called," Rachel started gently, looking down at her hands in her lap. _Okay, _Quinn thought,_ calls from agents usually don't mean excitement, then panic attacks then lots of tears. _Though this theory had been proven wrong by Rachel a few times now. All the blonde could do was nod her head. "They want to open _After School Special_ in London. The West End." Quinn smiled a bit because surely this was good news. Right? When Rachel continued, "and they want my help." Quinn could see the panic attack part. Rachel was going to leave again? So soon after the distance nearly killed them? Quinn was silent for a few moments as she just stared at the girl in front of her trying to get a read on Rachel's mood. She was _scared_ the blonde realized. _Rachel should _never_ be scared to tackle a project. God, I need to fix this._

"Rachel." Quinn said sternly when the brunette refused to meet her eyes. Sliding across the couch toward her girlfriend, the blonde reached down to gently tilt the brunette's head up. "Baby, look at me." Chocolate eyes watered over and tears tracked down Rachel's face as she met confused hazel ones. "Why are you so upset?"

"Because," Rachel mumbled in a small voice, "we just fixed everything and now I have to leave again. Being in LA almost destroyed us and that was all my fault. I don't want to go anywhere if it means losing you," she said, her voice growing a tad more hysterical. The blonde ran her hands over Rachel's cheeks and the brunette cried, "I don't want to lose you Quinn." The tiny girl threw herself into the blonde's arms again and clung on tight as her body was wracked with sobs. Quinn held on tightly and let her girlfriend have her breakdown knowing Rachel needed to let things out before anything could get resolved.

When the cries faded into tiny hiccups, Quinn pulled back and wiped Rachel's face dry before saying, "Rachel. I love you. You know that right?" The brunette nodded while looking back down at her hands in her lap. "And you're a star baby. Of course they're going to want your help to open the show over there. Hell, I'll be surprised if they don't beg you to come be the lead again just so you could amaze a few more people." Rachel looked up at Quinn's words and the soft smile that played across the blonde's face helped to calm her racing heart. "You need to go and chase your dream," the blonde said. Rachel opened her mouth to interrupt but Quinn just placed a finger across her lips and softly said, "And I will be waiting for you when you come back home." Rachel lost it again after that and Quinn gathered her up once more. Hearing a second set of sniffles, the blonde turned her head away from Rachel's neck to see Kurt standing at the door of the living room covering his mouth and waving her off before turning a going back to the other room. Quinn rolled her eyes at the boy but smiled softly when she felt soft kisses being placed along her neck and up her jaw. Pulling away from the hot mouth of her girlfriend earned her a tiny whine and she smiled down into deep brown eyes before leaning in and capturing the brunette's lips with her own. The pair kissed slowly, lips just sliding over lips. The occasional tear ran down Rachel's face and Quinn could taste the saltiness on her tongue as she gently reassured Rachel of her love. Rachel climbed into the blonde's lap and straddled her girlfriend as she deepened their kisses. Quinn's hands slipped up the brunette's shirt as she softly raked her nails down Rachel's back and the brunette shivered at the feeling.

Rachel arched into the blonde and moaned into the next kiss which prompted a yell from Kurt, "I'm glad you're both okay now but I have no problem using the squirt gun like I do on the cats!"

Rachel pulled away from Quinn giggling and rested her forehead against the blonde's. The two just stared at one another, Quinn's hands continuing their path along Rachel's back while the brunette's ran down Quinn's neck and over her collarbone before grasping her shoulders and moving off of her lap. Quinn stood up and reached down to pull Rachel up with her, pulling her out of the apartment with a, "Bye Kurt!" thrown over her shoulder as she shut the door behind her. Rachel just held onto Quinn's hand with both of hers the entire way back to their place and the two celebrated Rachel's newest achievement all night long.

* * *

><p>The next day, Rachel called Barry and told him that she was on board and he let her know that the directors did want to use her experience as lead and asked her to do it for just two months. Rachel knew that they had been working on the show out there for a little while now and had asked her to come out for the last four months of preparation. The show was supposed to open right before the New Year but Barry said that the interest wasn't where they wanted it to be. They had hoped that Rachel would agree to play the teacher, Marissa, for a few months just to get the spark they needed. Rachel promised to talk it over with Quinn when the time came but had secretly only planned on staying for as long as they needed her and not taking the role again.<p>

Quinn's day went a little differently than she had planned. She walked into her office and settled in at her desk while she waited for her computer to boot up. A knock on the door got the blonde's attention and she met Heather's eyes across the room. "Morning," Quinn said looking back to her computer screen.

"Good morning," the other blonde replied. Heather remained in the doorway to Quinn's office as she had been doing ever since the night Quinn had shut her down three months ago. "Doug wants to see you in his office. Said it's important."

Quinn nodded and mumbled, "Thanks," as the lawyer turned to leave. Assuming Doug, the Senior Partner at the firm, wanted to talk to her about the last case she was finishing up, the blonde gathered the final report she had finished the day before and made her way to the other end of the floor.

Doug Aggard was one of the most stereotypical lawyers Quinn had ever met and yet, the man still managed to keep a fantastic reputation. He was tall, handsome, and oozed charm. Basically a George Clooney movie character come to life. He also loved Quinn and hated that she was only here for a temporary job. The blonde knocked on Doug's office door and let herself in. Doug was sitting behind his desk and smiled when she settled in the chair opposite him. "Hey Quinn."

"Morning Doug. Heather said you needed me?"

"Ouch. No time for a little small talk? You know, how was your weekend? How's that gorgeous girl of yours? When are you going to just give in and stay with us forever?"

Quinn chuckled as she lounged back in the chair a bit. She loved the ease of his office and she knew she was truly going to miss working for him. "Awesome. Wonderful. Thanks for asking. And unfortunately never. But if you keep giving me entertaining cases like this one right here," she said as she held up the Clarke file, "then I'm never leaving."

Doug laughed and sat forward at his desk. Quinn loved this most about him. His enthusiasm for his work was infectious and reminded her why she enjoyed working with the law so much. "Good, because I've got another one for you."

"Doug," Quinn said warningly.

Doug sat back and held up his hands in surrender but still asked, "Just hear me out." Never being one to deny a good story, Quinn waved the man on. "Okay," he said before launching into one of the most interesting cases Quinn had ever heard. It had everything, slander, libel, Twitter hacking, hidden cameras, and a web of people that had been put together to discredit and bring down a big named actress for a reason no one had figured out yet. The blonde couldn't help the fact that she was fascinated and Doug knew he had her hooked.

"If I decide to do this," the blonde said, "I am _only_ working on this case and you had better pay me a major bonus."

Doug's face bloomed with a smile. "Quinn, you help me to win this and you can buy that gorgeous ring I know you've had your eye on." Quinn's mouth dropped open with surprise. She started to say something three different times as Doug looked at her with an amused grin playing across his lips. "Don't worry. I'm not stalking you. You left your laptop open in the conference room last week to a page with a giant diamond ring on it." The blonde smiled sheepishly as she felt her cheeks burn slightly.

Quinn got up from the chair and said, "You know I have to -"

"Talk it over with Rachel. I know. Go finish the Clarke case and I'm looking to get this started at the end of the week so I need to know if you're on board by then."

"I'll let you know by tomorrow Doug," Quinn said as she opened the left the office and made her way back to her desk. Sitting down at her chair she blew out a puff of air. It was a HUGE case. And Doug was right, the bonus for winning this case could allow her to easily buy the ring she had already picked out for Rachel. Along with their savings, it might even be enough for a down payment on a place in New York when they both made it back. Quinn shook her head of the details and started back in on the Clarke file. She would feel it out with Rachel later and see what her girlfriend thought.

The talk that night went smoother than Quinn could have ever imagined. When she tentatively brought up the case and staying in LA for a little while longer, the brunette shrugged and said, "It's something that interests you completely?" Quinn nodded. "And you'd be happy staying here and doing this while I'm in London." She nodded again. "Other than the fact that we'll be on complete opposite schedules, I don't see how it's any different than you going back to New York."

Quinn eyed her skeptically. "Just like that?"

"Just like what?"

"I'm opting to stay here while you're in London and we'll be working on an eight hour time difference."

"Yes. Perfectly okay."

Quinn narrowed her eyes at the other woman. Rachel's smile was 100% show face and her hands wouldn't stop fidgeting. "There's something you're not telling me."

Rachel let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding and slumped. "Okay I _hate_ that our schedules will be that different and visiting each other will prove to be even harder but I was hoping that if I was really supportive of your job, you'd be really supportive of mine," the brunette said before biting her lip and looking down into her lap.

Quinn was confused, "Rach you know I support your job. As much as I hate that I won't get to see you much for the next four months-"

"Six."

"What?"

"Six months," Rachel said glancing up to meet the puzzled eyes of her girlfriend. "Barry called and the said that they weren't getting the type of fan support that they wanted and they want me to help for four months and take the lead for two."

_There it is, _Quinn thought. Her lips formed a small pout as she petulantly replied, "I don't like it." Rachel's eyes dropped back to her lap but soft fingers on her chin forced her to look back up. "But they need you Rach. I know what that's like," the blonde said with a quick grin. "Go be a star baby."

Quinn walked into the office the next day and told her boss that she would stay and help but only until the New Year. She wanted to use the last month Rachel was in London to find them a home and find herself a job that she could love in New York so their life would be waiting for them when the brunette got home.

* * *

><p>The last day of August saw Rachel surrounded by her luggage and holding a squirming Labradoodle puppy in her arms waiting for Quinn to get home. The blonde opened the front door and gasped as she saw the fur ball spaz out trying to escape Rachel and inspect the new human in the house. "Rach, what-?" The brunette laughed and set the dog on the floor and he shot off after Quinn.<p>

"I thought you could use a new snuggle buddy while I was gone." Crouching down, Quinn gently played with the dog and rubbed his tummy when he flipped onto his back.

The blonde looked up at her girlfriend with a smile on her face and said, "He's adorable." Rachel squealed and clapped before grabbing one of the dog's new toys off the floor to play with him. "I'm assuming you've already named him?" Rachel just nodded while tugging on the opposite end of the rope than the puppy. "Let me guess," the blonde continued as she stood up and walked further into the house, "Fiyero?"

"Nope," Rachel said as she left the dog to chew on the rope and followed the blonde into the living room. Quinn sat down on the couch and Rachel crawled in her lap to straddle her.

"Arnstein?" she tried again as she wrapped her arms around the brunette's back. Rachel giggled and shook her head as she leaned down to kiss Quinn. Quinn smiled into the kiss but pulled away to ask, "Raoul?"

Rachel laughed and said, "God could you imagine yelling Raoul all the time? It would probably start to sound like we're howling at him."

Quinn laughed and said, "Well then what did you name him?" Rachel smiled down at the woman and glanced beyond her to see their new puppy lifting a leg and-

"BEAR! NO!" she yelled shooting off the couch and chasing the dog down the hall and through the kitchen. Quinn sighed and shook her head with a fond smile as she watched her girlfriend run through the house after dog offering no help whatsoever.

Rachel took off for London that night. The two had decided that they weren't going to make a big deal of the goodbye when Quinn dropped her off at the airport. They hugged fiercely and Quinn stole one last kiss before the brunette whispered, "See you soon," and turned toward the security gate. Quinn's eyes followed Rachel until she turned the corner and was out of sight. With a heavy heart the blonde drove back to their apartment to be met with a guilty looking Bear standing on the couch with a pillowcase in his mouth surrounding by fluff. Quinn took one look at him, laughed, and then sat down on the couch and cried until she couldn't breathe. Bear sensed distress and squirmed his way into the blonde's lap, licking her tears as they fell. Quinn pulled the dog to her chest and instantly realized why Rachel had brought him home. With a kiss to his head, Quinn moved to her phone to snap a picture of their pup on the couch surrounded by his mess and sent it to Rachel.

_He is clearly acting out because you're not here._

Rachel answered a minute later. **Are you sure that wasn't you acting out because I'm not there? Don't start blaming messes on the dog already Quinn.**

Quinn laughed and leashed Bear to take him out for a night time stroll. _Please. That was my favorite nap pillow. If I was destroying stuff I would totally start with that weird Barbra shrine you have stashed away in your closet._

**IT IS NOT A SHRINE QUINN FABRAY.**

_Close enough._

**I'm not having this argument again. You know it's just a memorabilia collection. Everyone has their idols. I seem to recall a rather extensive array of 60's records taking up most of our shelves.**

Quinn laughed as she tried to reign in a ridiculously strong puppy trying to make an escape. She grinned evilly as she typed out her reply, picturing Rachel's shocked face. _At least my obsession has some entertainment value. _

**Blasphemy. And I am no longer speaking to you.**

_That's a lie. You couldn't ignore me if you tried._

_You love me too much._

_Wait. You do still love me right?_

_Raaaaaach._

_Alright alright. You win._

**Say it Quinn.**

_No._

**Say it or no phone/skype sex the entire time I'm away.**

_Yea right. You couldn't handle that._

**Try me.**

Quinn paused as she made her way back into the apartment, staring down at the text Rachel had just sent. Bear was not having it. He was straining against his collar trying to get her attention and attack his bone and it wasn't until he yelped did Quinn reach down and unhook him. The blonde was trying to decide what was more important, her pride or getting off. She knew that Rachel would be able to do it. The woman's willpower was almost disturbing levels of strong. If Quinn didn't know better, her ego might be wounded by the fact that the brunette could go so long without if she chose. Sighing because she knew there was no contest she typed, _Barbra Streisand is the greatest voice that my ears have ever had the fortune to come across and it has only been rivaled by the voice of Rachel Berry. Though she believes that she can never compete._

**And?**

_And Rachel Berry is amazing and no one could ever compare._

**Damn straight.**

_Skype when you get to London?_

**I'll see you then baby. Miss you already.**

_You too Rach. Safe flight._

* * *

><p>August, September, and October flew by. Rachel was constantly busy with improving the show and doing more press than she had ever imagined. They were relying on her to come over and give them a much needed boost in order to get the ticket sales where they needed to be. She appeared on every daytime talk show, radio shows, sang at sporting events, and spent afternoons in music shops to sign autographs. Her face was recognizable to the English people because of her guest spot on <em>Writers<em> and they loved her immediately. Rachel stayed in a rented narrow, three story brownstone down the street from Regent's Park and immersed herself in the city as much as she could. Her cast was amazing and they welcomed her help with open arms which surprised her at first but once she met Christine, the trembling girl that was to play the lead, she understood right away. Most of the actors had never been in a production this big before and they were looking for anyone to step up and help them through it. The directors were nice but Rachel knew they needed to do better to instill some confidence in their cast. Christine instantly became Rachel's protégé and she worked with the girl tirelessly to grasp the part. Watching her improve from week to week was the greatest feeling she could imagine.

One late night in early November James McNeil, her on-stage Principal, approached her in the theater while the brunette went over her notes. "Well, that was a doozy."

Rachel smiled up at the older man and said, "The first dress rehearsal is always disastrous. We're getting there though. I think." James plopped down next to her with a huff. "I mean I know half of the costumes aren't ready. And Marty missed about a third of his lines. And Christine froze during the most climactic scene in the _entire_ play. And –"

James just laughed at the tiny brunette as she wound herself up tighter. "Rachel," he drawled with his light Scottish brogue, "We'll be better." Rachel looked at the man's kind eyes and immediately trusted him for some reason. If he said things would be okay, they would be. "And goodness lass, Christine's voice was phenomenal today. We'll get her over that stage fright. She'll get used to it. You're doing a brilliant job with her." Rachel sighed deeply as she sank further in her seat.

"Thanks James. I really like it- the teaching part."

"You definitely have a knack for it. I know that they say 'Those that can't do, teach' but that's not the case with you is it?" Rachel blushed slightly at the compliment and ducked her head down. The two sat in silence for a solid ten minutes going over the run-through in their heads. It wasn't until Rachel yawned for the fifth time did James say, "You look exhausted," with a hearty laugh. "I'll leave you to your corrections Oh Wise One. Don't stay too late. We still have time."

As the older man moved to get up Rachel laid a hand on his forearm. "Thanks James. Those compliments really mean a lot coming from someone like you." James just smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of the brunette's head. "Have a good night and tell Mary I said hello."

"I shall darling. Go home and get some sleep. And tell that lady of yours that it's high time she got her pretty little self out here to meet all of us. I'm starting to think you're making her up." He closed the theater door behind him with a wink and Rachel laughed to herself before pulling out her phone and doing just that.

"Hello?" Quinn answered on the third ring.

Hearing the blonde's voice instantly calmed Rachel's thoughts and she sank into her seat even further, propping her feet up on the row in front of her. "Hey baby."

"Hey Rach. How did it go today? Christine pull it off?" the blonde asked sounding slightly distracted.

"It was okay. We still have a lot to work on and Christine is going to definitely need some time. Barry was right when he said that they were worried about her opening. She's got a phenomenal voice and a stage presence that absolutely cannot be taught but she just seems scared."

"Well that's why you're taking the lead for the first two months right? To show her how it's done?"

Rachel smiled at Quinn's easy confidence in her. "Yeah. That's why I'm here. I really like it Quinn. Teaching and directing. I mean not that I'm the director in any sense here but Colin and Patrick are looking to me to really keep this as close to the original as they can. I know _I_ can do it. I can play this part in my sleep but it's helping out with the other parts and stepping back to see the big picture. It's really interesting to watch it all develop from the other side. I think –" the brunette paused before voicing her thoughts.

"You think what Rach?"

"I think I might want to try it out when I get back to New York. I know they always have people coming and going in NYADA and Juilliard to give guest lectures about their experiences. What if I did that and then, I don't know, see where it goes? Maybe try my hand at teaching?"

"Really?"

"I mean God Quinn when Christine nailed the raunchiest scene in the play today without even a blush. The rush I got was indescribable. I was so proud."

"Are you sure that was pride baby?" Quinn purred, "I mean it has been awhile."

"Quinn!" Rachel cried, "I'm being serious!"

The blonde laughed on the other end and softly said, "I know. And that's great Rachel really. You sound- well you sound more excited than I've heard you in a while. Since before the movie even."

"I guess it's refreshing you know? The pressure of opening night is exhilarating but there's something different about whatever it is I feel when they all take the stage under my direction. We'll see. I mean how would I even go about getting a job teaching anywhere right now? And plus I still have a few good years left in me to be on stage before I take the obligatory break to have children-" On the other end Quinn choked on the water she had been drinking. "Everything okay?" Rachel asked once Quinn stopped coughing.

"Yea," the blonde wheezed out. "It's just- I mean Jesus Rach we're not even engaged yet."

"Yet?" the brunette asked, clearly intrigued.

"Yet," Quinn said firmly. "I plan on spending my life with you baby, you know that. But how about we worry about the idea of kids once we're actually in the same country."

Rachel laughed quietly and said, "Okay. Sounds fair." They both laughed softly to themselves and a moment of silence passed before Rachel asked, "When are you coming to see me?"

The blonde sighed heavily through the phone. "I wish I could say tomorrow. We're just swamped right now and I'm trying to get this case wrapped up by Christmas so we can spend a good amount of time together then. How much time are they giving you?" In London, Rachel bit her lip thinking about how she was going to tell Quinn the bad news. Colin and Patrick had told the cast that the tickets we're selling faster than they were counting on and they added a show on Christmas Eve and a matinee on Boxing Day. Rachel knew that traveling anywhere was out of the question because the tickets were selling because of _her_. "They are giving you time right?"

"No."

"What!"

"I know Quinn but the tickets are selling and they need me on the stage. They can't very well advertise that I'm going to be playing Marissa in order to sell out the theater and then have me pass it off onto Christine for a few days."

"But Rach, it's Christmas." Rachel's heart broke at the pout she could practically hear on her girlfriend's lips. Christmas was never big in the Berry household but to Quinn it was everything. It was the one day a year where she loved being a part of her family. It was as if everything had been buried and they had a day to just be together and laugh together. As she got older, it got harder to keep it up even for that one day but it never deterred Quinn from trying. Since she had been with Rachel, the two of them celebrated the holiday with a bang and always had a great Christmas party with friends and family. It was quickly becoming a tradition that was important to them as a couple and now Rachel was going to have to miss it.

"I'm so sorry Quinn. I'd tell you to come here for it but I know you're working like crazy and that kind of time away from the case can't be done. I wish they told me sooner though so I wouldn't have to spring it on you like this," Rachel said, almost to the point of tears at the thought of letting Quinn down. "But hey, after Christmas its only two more months and then I'm home for good?"

"Yea," Quinn mumbled pathetically.

"Quinn I really am sorry."

The blonde let out a deep breath and said, "It's not your fault baby. I get it. I do. I just wish these deadlines weren't so close to the 25th or else I'd be there with you instead. I just really miss you munchkin."

"I miss you too. So much."

"We'll figure something out Rach. We always do."

"Yea," Rachel mumbled, still feeling bad.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

><p>The phone conversation earlier with Rachel threw the rest of Quinn's day off. At home, sitting in her nightstand, was the most perfect ring she could have ever hoped to find for the brunette. It was a white-gold band with a gorgeous square cut diamond and smaller half carat diamond inlays flanking it on both sides. Quinn also had the inside engraved with their names and the date of this upcoming Christmas. She had planned to propose when Rachel came home and had an amazing idea involving flying them out to New York and getting down on one knee inside of their new home in the city. She had already called Rachel's dads and got their permission and the brownstone just needed the final okay before it was theirs.<p>

Rachel had told Quinn she trusted her judgment completely when it came to their new home but the blonde still sent her pictures and videos of all the ones she toured. Rachel knew it was down to three places but Quinn hadn't given her the final word yet. She was hoping to surprise her girlfriend with the news but now the whole plan had gone to waste. Quinn was sitting in her office with head in her hands contemplating how to get the ring fixed because it looked like she wasn't going to get to propose when she had originally planned.

Doug popped his head into her doorway and said, "Hey kid." Quinn looked up and tried to shoot a smile his way but it turned into more of a grimace. "What's with the face?"

Quinn sighed and sat back in her desk chair as Doug made his way further into the office and sat down in the chair across from her. "Rachel has to work the day before and the day after Christmas so there's no way for her to get home. _And _I was planning on proposing on Christmas morning so that's shot to shit now." The blonde ran her fingers through her hair with a huff of frustration.

Doug smiled at her and said, "Quinn. Do you need some time off to propose to your girlfriend?"

The blonde blushed and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

"Hey. Don't apologize. Hell girl I was shaking like a leaf when I proposed for the first time. I get that you need a little time," the man said with a laugh. "Want to know a secret?"

Quinn nodded quickly and leaned on her desk to get closer to her boss. Doug looked around quickly like he was about to tell the blonde the secrets of the universe. "It's much easier the third time around," he whispered with a wink.

Quinn laughed and rolled her eyes. "Noted Doug. But I only plan to do it the one time." Doug just laughed at her as he got up to leave.

"Yea yea. If my first wife looked like yours I'd feel the same way."

"You know, in most places comments like that would be considered inappropriate and I could get you in trouble."

"True. But in most places they wouldn't tell you to wrap up whatever you're doing in the next two weeks and get the hell over to London on Christmas and see your girl." Quinn's eyes went wide as she stared at the lawyer. "I mean it Quinn. You've done amazing things already for this case. We have it in the bag. I'll take care of the loose ends and make sure everything meets the deadlines. I better not see you the week before the 25th. But I do expect to see you after. You know I'm just a lowly gossip and I'll need every detail."

The blonde was speechless. "Doug. I-" she started before her eyes watered. This man had been amazing to her since she got here and she realized then and there that she was going to have to leave him when she and Rachel finally settled in New York. Instead of trying to find the words she got up and walked over to give him and hug. "Thank you," she whispered into his chest.

Doug just squeezed her back and then straightened up to clear his throat. "Yes. Well. You still have a lot of work to get done before then Fabray so get to it," he said gruffly before turning on his heel and leaving the blonde's office. Quinn laughed and moved back to her desk and got back to work with a reinvigorated work ethic.

* * *

><p>Quinn did her best to act down for the next two weeks so Rachel wouldn't suspect a thing. She put together the final piece of discovery that Doug needed to win the case on the 22nd and flew to New York on the 23rd to finalize the deal on the house. Her ticket was bought for the 25th and she figured because she was in the city, she would drop in on her old Professor to see how he was doing.<p>

Professor Chambers smiled when Quinn knocked on his office door and waved for her to come in. He was on the phone but he signaled for her to sit down. "Actually Tom, I just had a brilliant idea. Absolutely. I'll call you later," he said before hanging up. "Quinn Fabray. To what do I owe this honor?"

"Hey Professor. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in to see how you were."

"Actually Quinn. Not so good." Quinn frowned at the man and tilted her head in a silent question. "You see, I heard that one of my favorite students has yet to take a job in this fantastic city of ours. Instead, she's run off to be a paralegal in _California_."

Quinn laughed at his disdain for the Golden State and just shrugged, "I had to get the girl."

Chambers looked at Quinn with a proud smile and said, "How is Rachel?"

"Fantastic. She's in London now about to start her run on the stage out there tonight actually. Well, she's not fantastic yet. She's actually pretty pissed but I'm giving her a very large diamond ring on Christmas so hopefully that'll cheer her up."

Chambers barked out an excited laugh, "That's wonderful! I take it she has no idea." Quinn grinned and shook her head. "Great news. And you're coming back to New York when she's done, yes?"

"Of course. That woman can only survive for so long without this city. She's going through some serious withdraw over there right now."

"How long is the play running for?"

"It should run for a while but she's just staring for the first two months to bolster ticket sales."

"And you're still working in California?"

"Just finished up actually."

"So what's the plan?"

"Well I just signed the papers on our new place this morning so I guess the next two months while Rachel is finishing up in London I'll deal with all the moving business and find a job. I had a few offers before I left so I'll go talk to some people and see if they still want me."

Professor Chambers folded his hands together on top of his desk as he processed whatever thought was going through his head. Quinn knew the look very well and let him go while she sat back and waited. "How long did you say Rachel was in London til?"

"Um February 27th is her last show so about two more months."

"And you're going in two days to surprise her with a proposal?"

Quinn couldn't help but blush slightly at the fact. Yes, she was going to propose but for some reason the excitement was making her act like a teenager about to ask the girl she had a crush on out on a date. She just grinned and nodded. Chambers narrowed his eyes at her before flinchingly slightly and rummaging around in his desk mumbling under his breath. Quinn caught bits and pieces but sat back comfortably and waited for the man to finish. She brought her joined hands to her lips to hide a small smile of affection. Chambers was more of a father figure to Quinn than anyone had ever been in her life and she realized just how much she missed the quirky old man. Slamming his bottom drawer shut he looked back at her and said, "I have a proposition."

Quinn crossed her legs, leaned her elbow on her knee and rested her chin on her fist. "I'm all ears."

"Okay you have to go to England in two days and I need a research assistant to be in England for me next week." Quinn just quirked an eyebrow while Chambers continued. "I was asked to lecture about our Constitution and I want to compare it to different ones around the world, specifically those in countries who have had laws on the books for hundreds of years. England, as you know is the only one of the big ones to never have a Revolution and their Constitution isn't even written down. I have most of the lecture hashed out but I just need a few particular questions answered and the those answers are in the libraries and with the historians over there. And you know me and flying." Quinn laughed as she remembered Chambers' wife telling them he almost had a full out panic attack on the plane to Bermuda her Senior year.

"You want my help," she said calmly, leaning back again.

"Don't you see how perfect this is?" Chambers said with dramatically flying arms. "You have time to spare, your soon-to-be fiancé is in London for two months, I need someone with a brain and who knows how I operate. It's almost too good to be true. Help? Please?" he added with a pitiful pout.

"God," Quinn said rolling her eyes, "You're so much like Rachel sometimes it's scary."

"Well that would mean you can't say no to me because we all know how whipped you are."

"Hey!"

"Quinn. You followed her to California to be a _Paralegal_ even though you just passed your Bar here. You're whipped."

"Whatever. You want my help?" Chambers nodded eagerly. "Find me a job when I get back."

"Done. I happen to know someone who is looking and would love to have you on board."

"Who?"

"Uh-uh. You do that, I get you a job. And don't worry," Chambers said raising a hand to stop the protesting blonde, "it's the exact type of law you want Quinn. You know I wouldn't recommend you somewhere that you wouldn't want to be." Quinn sat back and narrowed her eyes at her mentor. She already knew that she was absolutely going to take the job. She was going to be able to spend time with Rachel, see her play, do work for Chambers again, and she was getting out of having to go through the job search. She knew that her old Professor would make sure that she ended up somewhere she wanted to be and somewhere she was needed. Right now, she wanted to make him sweat a bit. The blonde stayed silent until Chambers started squirming and as he opened his mouth to start spouting out something to convince her, "Of course I'll do it." Chambers lit up and jumped up to gather information from around his room for the blonde. Quinn ended up staying for two more hours going over everything with Chambers before retiring to the hotel for the night. She contemplated staying in the new house but she wanted to save it for when Rachel got home so they could have their first night there together.

On Christmas Eve, Quinn called Rachel's dads to chat with them about her final plans and gave them a video tour of the new house. Then she called Kurt to remind him about his part in the next day's surprise. Finally she called Santana and Brittany who were in town because Brittany was dancing in the Radio City Christmas Special. The trio went out to dinner and caught up with each other. Santana told Quinn about her plans to move to the city because, "Bitches need some PR out here. Always gettin into all sorts of shit. You wouldn't _believe _the kinds of things I deal with, Q." And Brittany told her, "And plus there tons of kids that want to learn how to dance so I'm coming here to teach them! Doesn't that sound like fun Quinn?" The blonde went back to the hotel that night seriously missing her girlfriend. Her nerves though got the best of her and instead of sleeping she packed and re-packed three times, went over all of her notes from the meeting with Chambers including what she was going to do when she got there, before settling into bed with the ring sitting in its box on the pillow next to her. Quinn didn't care how much of a sap she was being. Tomorrow was going to change their lives forever one way or another and she was ready.

* * *

><p>Rachel sat in her apartment Christmas morning absolutely wrecked. She had only pulled herself out of bed to answer the phone that she had tossed across the room last night after a short-answered Quinn cut her off and said that she couldn't talk but she hoped Rachel had a great Christmas morning before hanging up. Rachel had heard a lot of noise in the background and assumed Quinn was at some holiday party while she sat alone on Christmas Eve. "Stupid," she had muttered to herself last night while pouring a very tall glass of wine, "You're not even Christian." But it was the thought of Quinn every Christmas morning as giddy as Rachel had ever seen her that had really gotten her down and made her especially lonely.<p>

She saw that Kurt was calling her and answered with a very clipped, "Yea?"

"Stop being grouchy and check your e-mail," he said before hanging up.

Rachel just pulled the phone away from her ear and stared down at the device is confusion. Shrugging, she set it down on her bed and moved to her computer out in the living room to see what that was all about. The only thing new was an e-mail from Quinn that was sent three minutes ago. She opened it up and saw a link to a video and clicked on it. Her screen was instantly filled with her girlfriend's face and she couldn't help but relax at the sight. Hitting play, Rachel sat back in her desk chair waiting for the blonde's voice to wash over her, except it never came. Instead, the camera panned out and Quinn was holding up cards like Rachel's favorite part from _Love Actually_. The brunette immediately smiled and the tears pricked at her eyes before she even read what Quinn had written. The blonde on the screen just smiled and waved as she leaned down and pressed play on her Ipod, the sounds of _Silent Night_ being sung by none other than Rachel herself poured out of the computer speakers, filling the living room. Quinn stood back up and held the card out that read,

**MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY. I MISS YOU. **The blonde on the screen waited a beat before switching to the next card that said, **ALL I WANT THIS CHRISTMAS **followed by,** IS TO WAKE UP NEXT TO YOU AGAIN. **Quinn smirked on screen as she moved to the next card**, INSTEAD OF WAKING UP TO THIS EVERY MORNING, **the next card showed a picture of Bear stretched out on his back and tongue hanging out of his mouth sound asleep. Rachel giggled to herself and she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. She was such a sucker for these moments. On screen, Quinn smiled and moved to the next card**, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU - BECAUSE ON CHRISTMAS YOU TELL THE TRUTH - THAT I LOVE YOU - AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR OUR FOREVER. **Quinn paused after this one and looked up at the camera as if she was looking right into Rachel's eyes, swearing her words.** BUT UNTIL THAT CAN HAPPEN - REMEMBER WHAT YOU LEFT ME WITH - **another picture of Bear followed with him sitting perfectly, ears cocked, and half a rain gutter hanging out of his mouth. Rachel let out a snort of laughter at the picture and ran her finger over Bear's image on screen. Quinn looked down at the picture and laughed herself before remembering she was supposed to be quiet and biting her lip to stifle it. The blonde took a deep breath as she moved onto the next card that read**, FOR NOW THOUGH - I DID GET YOU A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE**, the second to last card fell away and Quinn held the last one that simply said,** OPEN YOUR FRONT DOOR. **

Rachel dove out of her chair and took off for the foyer, sliding to a stop right in front of the door before ripping it open. On the other side was her favorite blonde holding a card that simply said, **RACHEL BERRY YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING, **Quinn just watched Rachel's face, straining to not reach out and wipe the tears from the other girl's face. She knew she had to get to the last card. Dropping the first one, she looked down at the second, **AND I'M READY FOR OUR FOREVER TO START**. Rachel's eyes tracked over the words and looked up at Quinn with a puzzled expression. Quinn waited for Rachel to realize what she meant and as soon as the brunette's eyes went wide, Quinn smiled and moved to the last card.** WILL YOU MARRY ME? **Rachel gasped out loud as Quinn set the card down, knelt in front of the brunette, reached into her pocket and pulled out a ring. The tears were falling so fast down Rachel's face and she just barely breathed, "Yes." A smile erupted over Quinn's face as she pulled the ring from the box and placed it on the shaking hand of her fiancé. Standing slowly, the blonde finally got to wipe the tears away and then pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug, only speaking to mumble the words, "God, I missed you," before leaning back and kissing Rachel with everything she had.

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day 2044<strong>

Quinn looked down at the engagement ring on her left hand. After the proposal, Rachel went into her room and pulled a ring out of her drawer and gave it to Quinn telling her that she was planning on doing the same thing when they got home. After more tears and _a lot_ more touching, the two settled in and spent the next two months in their own world. Looking at the ring made Quinn think of all of those perfect nights together and she smiled unconsciously. A tiny hand swam into her vision as Rachel reached across the table and entwined their fingers. Quinn looked up and met knowing chocolate eyes before blushing adorably and ducking her head away. "Those two months were amazing weren't they?" Rachel said quietly.

"Yea baby. They really were," Quinn said squeezing Rachel's fingers with her own. The blonde paid for their meal on the way out and they walked back to the theater in silence, each lost in their own memories.

"God I miss that house sometimes," Rachel breathed looking up at her wife. "Remember our first night there?"

Quinn bit her lip as a shy smile bloomed across her face. "How do you think I survived when you weren't there at night over the years? Thoughts of that night _still_ help to keep me warm," she said bumping her hip with Rachel's. The brunette laughed as they walked through the theater doors, waving to the security guard and making her way back to the dressing room.

"Want to help me remember?" Rachel said mischievously as she shoved Quinn into the room, locking the door behind her.

"It would be my pleasure Mrs. Fabray," Quinn growled, reaching for her wife.

"If my memory serves me right _Mrs. Fabray_ it would actually be _my_ pleasure." After that, Quinn made sure Rachel's smart-ass comments were changed into something entirely different.


End file.
